


Ice cold deception

by Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Don't Like Don't Read, F/M, Family Secrets, Not Canon Compliant, Not Iris/WA friendly, Or Nora West-Allen friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-01-23 11:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 29,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18548491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen/pseuds/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen
Summary: Nora had come back to change the past, to prevent her father's disappearance. But to do so , she must work with the man who hates her father the most in order to save a woman she hates. And all the while, she must keep her secrets or she will lose everything.





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I shouldn’t be starting another story right now. But this idea has been in my head for the last week or so, so I thought I’d least started.
> 
> And, so you can’t say I didn’t warn you, this story is not Iris, WestAllen, or Nora West-Allen friendly. So simply don’t read it if you don’t like that. And calling me racist simply because I’m writing a story like this says far more about you than it does about me, as I’m sure some of you will ignore this and accuse me of being racist. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this first chapter.

Star Labs

Morning

 

It was a typical morning in Star Labs, Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco were discussing ways to take down Cicada, Iris and Nora occasionally offering input. Cecile was at work while Ralph and Sherloque were off doing who knows what who knows where. Joe still hadn’t come back from visiting Wally with Jenna yet.

 

“Starting to understand why even future us couldn’t stop Cicada,” Cisco sighed. “Every time we get close to stopping him, it’s like some sort of cosmic force swoops in to save him.”

 

“Don’t worry, we’ll catch him,” Barry said as he put a hand on Cisco’s shoulder before looking over at Caitlin. “And in the meantime, we’ve got our secret weapon.”

 

 As Caitlin smiled at Barry’s compliment, Nora was suddenly very grateful that Cecile was at work. She doubted she could explain that sudden wave of hatred and rage that swelled up within her. Every minute she spent in the past, every little moment she witnessed between her father and Caitlin, it reminded her why she had to come back. That she had to prevent the future, to keep them apart and her parents together. To prevent _the incident_ from ever happening.

 

To prevent the end of her parents’ marriage.

 

She never thought she would end up here. Not just in the past, but the entire situation. Working with her father’s arch enemy to change the past, to make sure her father would never disappear. All she had to do was prevent one thing. One event and it would all change.

 

She couldn’t help but remember the moment where it had all started. The moment where it had all changed. The moment where she had first visited Eobard Thawne.

 

_Iron Heights Prison, 2049_

_Morning_

_Nora walked into the Metahuman Wing at Iron Heights, looking around with nerves. She wasn’t sure why she had decided to come here. She just needed to go somewhere. Finding out about her mother’s secret betrayal, that she’d had powers just like her father, Nora just needed someone to talk to. But why she had come here, Nora didn’t know._

_“Dawn,” a low voice spoke up._

_Nora nearly jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned towards the cell, seeing the face of Harrison Wells. Although it wasn’t really Harrison Wells. It was Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash. Her father’s arch enemy. Her heart hammered in her chest as she stared at Thawne, his eyes seeming to see right through her, down to her very soul._

_“it’s Nora,” Nora said her voice quivering slightly._

_“Nora. Just like your grandmother,” Thawne noted and Nora snapped._

_“Don’t you ever talk about her! You have no right!” Nora snapped._

_“You’re right, I don’t,” Thawne acknowledged. “After all, it was I that took her from you father. I can’t make up for that. I can’t make that right. But I can right something else. I can give you your father back.”_

_Nora stared at him, her mind not quite comprehending what he was saying. But once the words processed in her mind, her mind whirled._

_“What are you talking about?” Nora asked and Thawne smiled, causing a chill to rush down Nora’s spine._

_“In my timeline, where I come from, your father never disappeared during the crisis of 2024,” Thawne said and Nora started. “For a long time, I wondered why he disappeared, what possible difference there was. Then, as I watched him, I realized why. It’s because he didn’t have Caitlin Snow.”_

_“What?” Nora asked her back stiffening at the mention of that woman._

_“In the timeline where I came from, Barry Allen, Cisco Ramon, and Caitlin Snow were a team, just like they were in this one. And on that day, they defeated the enemy. But Caitlin Snow wasn’t there that day; she wasn’t there to fight alongside your father and Cisco. And you know why.”_

_Nora did know. She had learned the whole twisted story from her mother when she was sixteen. And she knew what Thawne was telling her to do._

_It was so ironic. The woman she had hated practically her entire life…was the key to making sure her father was around to raise her._

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Morning_

_Barry yawned as Cisco looked over at him in concern._

_“You okay?” Cisco asked and Barry nodded._

_“Yeah, just tired. Nora kept Iris and me up half the night,” Barry explained._

_“Yeah, a new born is an adjustment. Don’t worry buddy, you two will get the hang of it,” Cisco assured him as Caitlin and Ralph walked in._

_“Get the hang of what?” Ralph inquired._

_“it’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” Barry said as he turned to Cisco. “But we do have a situation. Cisco.”_

_Cisco nodded, bring up the holographic screen. Caitlin and Ralph stared in horror at the rather gruesome scene of a man who looked like his head had been bashed in._

_“This is William Smith. He was in a car wreck last night at ninety miles per hour. He ended up wrapped around a telephone pole,” Barry explained._

_“That’s horrible, but what does this have to do with us?” Caitlin asked curiously._

_“During the interview with the family, they said that William had been acting erratically the previous day: quitting his job, talking back to people, picking fights. I did a little digging; there have been four other cases with people who ended up dead that started acting erratically a few days prior in the last month,” Barry explained._

_“You think it’s a Meta?” Ralph inquired._

_“I think it’s worth looking into,” Barry said as he turned around to face them. “Ralph, I want you to interview the family members and friends. Cisco, work with him, see if you can find anything on anyone they may have come into contact with recently. Caitlin, we’re gonna look over the autopsy reports. If there is a Meta going around doing this to people, we are going to stop them.”_

Central City

Now

 

“What’s this about Sherly?” Ralph asked as he and Sherloque sat in a car. “You said you had a lead on Cicada.”

 

“I do have lead yes, but not on Cicada,” Sherloque said as he pulled out a cell phone and Ralph stared incomprehensively at the strange language on the phone.

 

“What is that?” Ralph asked confused.

 

“This is the code Nora West-Allen is using to communicate with her partner,” Sherloque said and Ralph stared at him, even more confused.

 

“Partner?” Ralph asked and Sherloque nodded.

 

“Yes. You see, it is rather odd that those little moments, at the wedding, at The Jitters, at the apartment, were just little moments. But the moment she chose to intervene was when the satellite. Odd, is it not?” Sherloque said.

 

“You think Nora is working with someone. Why didn’t you say anything to the others?” Ralph asked confused.

 

“I am following a trail; I don’t know where it leads. I wish to know where before I tell anyone else,” Sherloque said.

 

“Why tell me then?” Ralph asked confused.

 

“They trust you. I would like you to, shall we say, keep eye on Nora,” Sherloque said.

 

‘I’m not really comfortable with that Sherly,” Ralph said uncomfortable.

 

“If Nora West-Allen is lying about this, perhaps she lying about other thing, no? Do not think of it as betrayal, think of it as protecting people you love,” Sherloque said and Ralph sighed.

 

“I don’t like this…but if you’re right, I can’t do nothing. Okay, I’ll help you,” Ralph agreed reluctantly.


	2. The beginning of the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Sherloque continues to investigate Nora in the present, in flashbacks, Team Flash goes up against their latest Meta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, glad the response so far is mostly positive. Here is chapter two.
> 
> And, because I forget this last time, the story takes place between 5x13 and 5x15.

Star Labs

Afternoon

 

Ralph walked into the cortex and found only Cisco there, working on something. His mind was still whirling with what Sherloque had told him and asked of him. As much as Ralph hated to admit it, Sherloque had a point. What did they really know about Nora, other than she was Barry and Iris’ daughter and that Iris had kept her powers a secret from her? Ralph honestly couldn’t think of a whole lot. If Sherloque was right and Nora was keeping secrets, Ralph was going to find out what they were and if Nora was a danger to anyone here.

 

“Hey, where you been?” Cisco asked as he caught sight of Ralph.

 

“Sherly wanted my opinion on where he should take his new girlfriend for a date. We spent all morning checking out restaurants,” Ralph lied. “What’s going on here?”

 

“Nothing much, we spent the morning trying to come up with ideas on how to stop Cicada, nothing. So, Iris is heading to pick up Joe and Jenna from the airport, and Barry, Cait, and Nora went to the precinct, trying to dig through police reports, see if there’s pattern besides all his victims being Metas,” Cisco said and Ralph nodded and Cisco noticed his friend seemed distracted. “You okay Ralph?”

 

“Yeah, just a lot on my mind,” Ralph said, wanting to spill his guts right there and then.

 

But he couldn’t, not yet. He didn’t know what Nora could be hiding, but if it was dangerous, he couldn’t open that door…not yet.

 

Central City Police Department

Same time

 

Nora tried to concentrate on the reports, she tried, but it was hard, seeing her father and Caitlin pouring over the reports, so completely in sync as they looked for any connection between victims.

 

Since coming back, spending time with Caitlin, to a point, she had come to like Caitlin. But it still didn’t change what needed to happen. Caitlin was only a means to an end to make sure her father was around in the future. For her and her mom, not Caitlin and _it_ , Nora thought with a scowl.

 

“Nora, you alright?’ Caitlin asked as she noticed Nora scowling.

 

“Yeah, fine,” Nora lied, trying to come up with an excuse. “Just…frustrated with our progress on Cicada.”

 

“We’ve faced worse than Cicada,” Barry said confidently.

 

“Worse than a serial killer no one’s ever caught?” Nora asked incredulously.

 

“We’ve proven that the future isn’t set in stone,” Caitlin pointed out.

 

“Savitar was supposed to kill Iris but he didn’t. We make our own future, here and now,” Barry said firmly.

 

Her heart swelling with hope, not just about Cicada, but her own family, Nora nodded before resuming going over the reports, looking for any links.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Afternoon_

_“Cait and I looked over the autopsy reports and found something,” Barry said as he, Caitlin, Ralph, and Cisco stood in the cortex._

_“Their x-rays, all the victims showed the same symptoms: the part of the brains that allows for impulse control was shut down,” Caitlin said._

_“So, we’re dealing with a Meta that can take away people’s inhibitions?” Ralph asked._

_“Seems that way,” Barry said before the computer beeped with an alert._

_“Okay, we have a gunman at Central City mall, shooting up the place,” Cisco said and Barry sprang into action._

_“Okay, I’ll handle the gunman. Cait, I’ll need you to treat any injured. Ralph, get anyone to safety and protect the civilians. Cisco, run point here,” Barry ordered._

_Central City mall_

_Shortly after_

_People screamed in terror as a security guard was shooting wildly, his eyes glowing yellow._

_“I’m tired of you people disrespecting me!” he ranted as shot off more rounds._

_A breach opened up and Caitlin and Ralph, who was dressed in his suit, stepped out in an area that was out of everyone’s sight. A red blur sped in and the next thing anyone knew, the guard was unconscious, the Flash standing above him with the gun in hand. Seeing The Flash, the panicking bystanders relaxed as they saw he had the situation under control._

_“Is anyone hurt?” Barry called out._

_“My dad, he’s been shot!” A teenage girl cried out. “Someone call 911!”_

_Caitlin quickly moved in, rushing to the man’s side, seeing he shot in the shoulder._

_“Don’t worry, I’m a doctor. We need to stop the bleeding,” Caitlin said._

_As Caitlin began her work, Caitlin looked up and saw a dark haired man walking away. As if he sensed her, he turned back, revealing piercing green eyes. His eyes turned gold for a moment and Caitlin’s eyes flashed gold as well briefly before they returned to their normal brown._

_“Flash!” Caitlin called out, gesturing to the man._

_Seeing the man, Barry sped over to him, preparing to take him out. The man grabbed Barry’s arm and looked into his eyes, green turning gold. Barry’s eyes briefly turned gold as well before he grabbed the man and slammed him into the wall head first, knocking him out. The man fell to the floor, out cold and Barry’s eyes returned to normal as Ralph ran over._

_“We’ll, the day is saved and all that,” Ralph said and Barry shot his friend a look._

_“Not the time buddy,” Barry said before Caitlin called out._

_“Flash, I’ve stopped the bleeding but this man still needs to get to the hospital,” Caitlin said and Barry nodded._

_“Elongated Man, you deliver him to the police,” Barry said before he sped out, taking the wounded man to the hospital._

West house

Now

 

“Boy is it good to be home,” Joe as she walked into his house, glad to see it after months away.

                                                                                         

“After being in the desert for all that time, home must feel good huh?” Iris teased and Joe laughed.

 

“You have no idea. How has it been with everything?” Joe asked as he put Jenna in her carrier down.

 

“It hasn’t been easy but we’re handling it. Would be a lot better if we could take down Cicada,” Iris muttered.

 

“Don’t worry, you will,” Joe said as he placed a hand around his daughter’s shoulder. “Barry has led us through every threat we’ve ever faced. Thawne, Zoom, Savitar, Devoe. He’ll figure it out and he’ll beat Cicada just like he has every time before.”

 

Jenna suddenly cried and Joe chuckled, pulling out her bottle and beginning to feed her. As Iris watched her father feed her sister, she hoped that, one day, she could watch Barry do that with Nora. And that, somehow, they could make sure Barry would stay to raise Nora with her.

 

Star Labs

Same time

 

Sherloque flipped through Nora booklet, frowning at the unreadable language. He turned to the computer, which was still having a difficult time translating it. But soon, it would. And then, he would find out if Nora was keeping secrets from them. If she was friend…or foe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know MRIs probably aren’t run on corpses, but please just go with it.


	3. Leads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Joe pushes a former ally for answers regarding Cicada, in flashbacks, everyone begins noticing odd behavior from Barry and Caitlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably going to end up being the worst chapter so far, but I do hope you enjoy it.

Star Labs

Late afternoon

 

Team Flash stood in the cortex, discussing everything they had learned. Which wasn’t much.

 

“There are no links between victims aside from the fact that all of them are Metas,” Caitlin was saying as they all looked over the latest victim reports.

 

“Well, Joe got back into town and he headed for work once Cecile got home to watch Jenna. He and Singh should be down at the precinct now, trying to get anything out of Jones,” Barry said. “If anyone can get anything out of him, its Joe.”

 

Central City Police Department

Same time

 

Joe sat across from Jones in the interrogation room, considering the other man. He had worked with Jones, had thought of Jones as a friend. So to hear that Jones was working with Cicada was quite a shock for Joe.

 

“You should be on my side Joe. Metas nearly killed everyone you care about a few months ago!” Jones snapped.

 

“So we should just forget all the times The Flash should save the city due to a few bad apples?” Joe shot back.

 

“You and I both know it’s more than a few bad apples! This city has been under siege since Wells’ accelerator blew up! We should be trying to stop them before they kill anyone else!” Jones snarled.

 

“Your job is to protect the people in this city, not to play vigilante! We don’t play judge, jury, and executioner! You wanna do that, move to Star City! I hear it’s full of corrupt cops!” Joe snapped.

 

“You know what happens to cops in prison Joe. You send me away, I’m a dead man,” Jones said softly.

 

“Then help me out, tell me where you met Cicada, how he contacted you,” Joe ordered.

 

“He never contacted me, he used a proxy,” Jones told him.

 

“Who?” Joe demanded.

 

“I don’t know, I never met them in person, we only exchanged contact by emailing. But I know that he or she works at Central City General Hospital,” Jones finally admitted.

 

_Central City Police Department, 2021_

_Afternoon_

_“His name is John Clarence. Former jewel thief went dark after the Accelerator explosion,” Joe said as he and Barry watched Clarence being loaded into the back of the truck._

_“And he has the power to lower people’s inhibitions. Cisco wants to call him ‘Dampener’. Not one of his better works,” Barry noted. “Sometimes, Cisco’s habit of naming every Meta we go up against annoys me.”_

_“You okay Bar?” Joe asked, finding Barry admitting that a little odd._

_“I feel fine. Why?” Barry asked as Joe eyed him._

_“No reason,” Joe said, deciding he needed to keep an eye on Barry._

_Better safe than sorry after all._

_Star Labs_

_Same time_

_“Oh my god, would you just shut up?” Everyone stopped and stared at Caitlin, who had interrupted Iris’ input._

_“Excuse me?” Iris asked with an edge to her voice, balancing Nora in her arms as the baby slept._

_“Seriously, who gave you the right to tell us what to do? You’re not a Meta, you’re not a scientist. You don’t understand half of what goes on here. The only reason you’re here is because you’re Barry’s wife,” everyone stared in shock at the normally kind and respectful Dr. Snow being so…well, rude was the only way to put it._

_“Cait,” Cisco said tense, not wanting to fight._

_Before anyone could say anything else, there was a beep from the computer._

_“Bank robbery at Central National,” Cisco said, relieved for the interruption as Caitlin’s hair turned white blonde and her eyes turned blue._

_“Send me there,” Killer Frost said. “Caity and I need to work off some stress.”_

_Central National Bank_

_Not long after_

_Killer Frost emerged from the breach to find various men in masks holding people hostage as one man made the banker manager put money into a bag. Seeing Frost, the men opened fire on her but, with a smirk; Frost froze the billets in ice before they even reached her. Frost then sent out icicles, getting all the men in shoulders._

_“Get out of here,” Frost ordered and all the civilians ran for the doors like there was no tomorrow._

_“You must be a special kind of stupid to think you can take us on alone,” the leader said and Frost laughed._

_“I see; you don’t know who I am. I’m Killer Frost. Let me show you why,” Frost said with a smirk before she threw an ice blast at the men._

Star Labs

Night

 

That night, long passed where everyone else had left for the night, Nora returned to the Time Vault, about to send more of her journal entries to Thawne. Only she was wrong, not everyone had left for the night. From behind a corner, watching as she entered the Time Vault, Ralph frowned, wondering what on earth she was doing in the Time Vault.


	4. The suspect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Flash zeroes in on Cicada's accomplice as, in flashforwards, Team Flash's concern over Caitlin's odd behavior leads to a stunning confrontation.

Star Labs

Morning

 

“Vanessa Ambres,” Joe said as Cisco brought up a picture of a black woman in her mid to late thirties. “She treated Grace and Orlin on the night of The Enlightenment and has been treating Grace ever since.”

 

“So you think she’s Orlin’s contact?” Iris inquired.

 

“Well, someone has to be treating him. I doubt he’s able to stitch himself up without help,” Cisco pointed out.

 

“Basically, he’s got his own Caitlin,” Barry said as he looked over at Caitlin.

 

Nora barely repressed the scowl that would have crossed her face otherwise. It would be harder to keep them apart than she thought. Her father and Caitlin had such a natural bond. Barry had the same with Cisco, but it was different with Caitlin. She had to keep them apart without breaking their bond, or her actions would be utterly pointless.

 

Ralph watched Nora carefully, seeing the brief look of displeasure on her face before it vanished. Ralph hated to say it, but it was looking more and more like Sherloque might be right. Ralph didn’t want to be the one to tell Barry and Iris their daughter might be a traitor, but if she was, then Ralph needed to be absolutely sure before he did anything. Once he opened that door, there was no closing it.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Late afternoon_

_“What happened out there Cait?” Cisco asked as they all stood in the cortex._

_“Killer Frost got a little…carried away,” Caitlin said._

_“Carried away? She froze a guy’s arm off!” Ralph exclaimed._

_“I don’t know what came over her alright? Now would you get off my back?!” Caitlin snapped, to the surprise of everyone._

_“Caitlin, are you okay?” Iris asked._

_“Oh would you stop it!” Caitlin snapped, taking Iris back._

_“Stop what?” iris asked confused._

_“Acting like we’re friends,” Caitlin sneered._

_“I thought we were,” Iris said and Caitlin laughed humorlessly in a way that reminded them all of Killer Frost._

_“No, we’re not. But it became pretty clear you weren’t going anywhere. I had to learn to tolerate you or leave. And I was here first, I sure as hell wasn’t going to let some reporter with an inflated idea of her own important push me out!” Caitlin snapped, her eyes flashing blue for a moment before they returned to normal._

_Everyone was too shocked by Caitlin’s behavior to try and stop her as she stormed out of the cortex._

_“What is up with her. “It’s like-” Cisco started._

_“Like she doesn’t have any inhibitions,” Cecile said and they all glanced at her. “I felt it from her. I couldn’t figure it out until just now. She’s been hit by Clarence.”_

_“But how?” Iris wondered._

_“She saw him before any of us. He must have hit her before she warned me,” Barry noted._

_“So what do we do?” Ralph asked._

_“We find a way to help Caitlin,” Barry said in a voice that left no room for argument._

Central City Hospital

Night

 

Outside in the parking lot, Ralph stared into space in the passenger seat.

 

“Okay, what is up with you?” Cisco finally had enough as he looked over at Ralph. “You’ve been acting weird since yesterday. What’s going on?”

 

“I can’t tell you,” Ralph said and Cisco opened his mouth to prod him. “Not because I don’t want to. But…I’m looking into something. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I want to know where this leads before I tell you guys. Can you just trust me on this?”

 

“Yeah. Just…be careful Ralph. I’m not sure what this is, but when you chase a lead, it can end up putting your life in danger,” Cisco said as he thought of how he’d ended up killed by Thawne in the now erased timeline.

 

Inside the hospital, Joe was talking to Vanessa.

 

“I’m not sure what you’re accusing me of Detective West,” she said in a clipped voice that Joe could tell was there to hide her nervousness.

 

“I’m not accusing you of anything. But those medications continued to be stolen after Orlin stopped visiting the hospital,” Joe explained calmly.

 

“So you think a doctor is giving them to him?” Vanessa asked doing her best to seem surprised. 

 

“Yes. I’ll need access to your security footage,” Joe said, pulling out a warrant. “I have a warrant, if you want to go there.”

 

After a few moments of weighing her options, Vanessa nodded, beginning to lead him down the hall. They rounded the corner and she grabbed a fire extinguisher of the wall, beating him over the head with it. Joe went down, dazed as Vanessa took off running down the hall. She made it halfway down the hall when a red blur sped up to her. After a whirl of movement, Vanessa found herself on the floor in handcuffs, The Flash standing above her.

 

“You’re not going anywhere Dr. Ambres,” Barry said coolly.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Night_

_Caitlin was in the training room, wrapping her hands as she prepared to take her frustrations out on a punching bag when Barry walked in._

_“Hey,” Barry said._

_“They send you in to see if I was about to have a psychotic break?” Caitlin asked sarcastically._

_“No. But I am worried about you. Are you okay?” Barry asked._

_“Aside from being tired of hearing your wife yapping at me all the time, I feel great. I feel freer than I ever have. It’s like nothing’s holding me back now,” Caitlin said, high on elation and Barry frowned._

_“I know that feeling. It’s how I felt after I came out of the Speed Force. Cait…I’m worried about you. We think…” Barry trailed off._

_‘What? What do you think?” Caitlin asked with an edge to her voice and Barry hesitated. “Tell me!”_

_“We think you got hit by Clarence, that’s why you’re acting like this,” Barry said gently and Caitlin scoffed._

_“Maybe I’m perfectly fine. You ever think that just maybe, I get tired of listening to Iris bitch at us? As if she has any idea what we do. But the one day I just don’t have the energy to deal with Madam Iris’ ego, clearly something must be wrong. Whose side are you on?” Caitlin demanded, shoving Barry back a little._

_“Yours, you know I am Cait,” Barry told her gently._

_“Do I? I thought you of all people would understand how I’m feeling. Guess I was wrong,” Caitlin said coolly as she moved to leave but Barry blocked her._

_“I’m always on your side Caitlin. I’m just worried,” Barry said._

_“We all are,” Cisco said as the rest of the team walked in, Joe and Iris armed with rifles._

_“Hey, what is this?” This came not from Caitlin, but Barry._

_“We were watching on the monitors. You weren’t getting anywhere with her,” iris said unapologetically._

_“Wow, Iris makes a decision to overrule your leadership, what a shock,” Caitlin said sarcastically, sounding a lot like Killer Frost._

_“Caitlin, this isn’t you,” Joe said, trying to reach her._

_“It is now,” Caitlin said, her eyes glowing._

_“Cait, don’t,” Barry pleaded._

_“You said you’re on my side? Prove it, here and now. You can either be on my side or theirs, but you can’t be on both,” Caitlin said, her hair and eyes changing color as she turned into Killer Frost. “Choose Flash.”_

_“That’s enough," Iris said, firing at Killer Frost._

_Only, it didn’t make it to Killer Frost. Barry sped in front of her, grabbing the tranq dart before Frost could do anything, to the shock of everyone._

_“Barry, what are you doing?” Joe asked._

_“Choosing a side,” Barry said, tossing the projectile on the floor. “And you know what? Maybe I’m a little tired of it to. Maybe I’m tired of having every decision I make ignored or overruled by my wife.”_

_“Save it for marriage counselling. I’m getting out of here,” Frost said, her hands powering up with an ice beam._

_“Please, allow me,” Barry said and Frost paused._

_Barry began rotating his arms at super speed, creating a cyclone that blew the other four members of his team out of the room. They each hit the hall, hard, before sliding down to the floor. When they looked up, they saw that Barry and Killer Frost were both gone._


	5. The calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Ambres gives Team Flash a clue that presents an opportunity for Nora. In flash forwards, Barry and Caitlin, without inhibitions, make a decision they may regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a very long chapter, but it will prove to be an import one, especially where the flash forwards are concerned. I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> But before we get into it, I want to address something. In case you didn’t know, Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, passed away a few days ago. So let’s take this moment to remember the man who gave us Chewbacca and has, in some way or another, touched the lives of everyone who watched Star Wars. 
> 
> RIP Peter Mayhew

Central City Police Department

Night

 

Vanessa was in the interrogation room, her hands cuffed to the table as the door opened and Joe and Cecile walked in.

 

“Assaulting an officer, obstruction, adding and abetting, you’re in an awful lot of trouble Dr. Ambres,” Joe told her.

 

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Vanessa insisted.

 

“Then why did you assault Detective West if you have nothing to hide?” Cecile asked, feeling out Vanessa’s emotions and finding them clear.

 

“it’s alright, I don’t need to see the footage, I don’t even need to hear you confess. I already know everything I need to,” Joe said and Vanessa glared at him. “Your fiancé was killed almost three years ago when Zoom’s army attacked the city, so you saw an opportunity to get revenge when Dwyer started killing Metas.”

 

“It hurts you to even think about it,” Cecile said as she felt a stab of pain coming from Vanessa.

 

“I loved him very much and he was taken from me. So yes, it hurts to think about it,” Vanessa snapped.

 

“Can I ask you a question Dr. Ambres? What would he say if he saw you right now?” Cecile asked gently.

 

After a moment, Cecile was hit with feelings of pain, guilt, and shame. Knowing they had an opening, Cecile pressed on.

 

“That guilt you feel, there is a way you can make it right,” Cecile said and Vanessa looked up at her. “Tell us where Orlin Dwyer is.”

 

“Why, so you can arrest him?” Vanessa snapped and Cecile felt her walls go back up.

 

“So we can stop him before he kills anyone else,” Joe told her. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you took an oath to do no harm. Can you honestly say you’ve upheld that oath?”

 

“I don’t know where he is; he was attacked in his home by some reporter, so he got somewhere safe. But I know where he’ll be. I know his next target,” Vanessa finally broke.

 

Star Labs

Later

 

“Cicada’s next target is a Metahuman who can shut down inhibitions. His name is John Clarence,” Joe told the team as they assembled in the cortex.

 

“John Clarence, that was exact name Dr. Ambres gave you?” Nora asked urgently, causing everyone to look at her oddly.

 

“Yeah, why?” Joe asked and Nora internally cursed herself for not having more control over herself.

 

“It just sounds familiar, that’s all. I think I must have read about it in the Flash Museum,” Nora lied her heart racing as she hoped they bought her lie.

 

“Well, in any case, we need to keep an eye on him. Because Cicada is going after him, this could be our chance to finally stop Cicada,” Barry said, trying to keep focused.

 

As everyone else turned their attention back to Cicada, Nora’s mind was racing a thousand miles per hour. Thawne had been right, this was it. Her chance to prevent the incident. Her chance to save her parents’ marriage and make sure her father didn’t disappear. But it would require a sacrifice.

 

In order for this to work, Nora had to make sure John Clarence couldn’t affect either her father or Caitlin. She also had to make sure Clarence either got taken into custody or, the much more drastic option, Cicada succeeded in killing him. But it would be worth it in the end, she told herself.

 

As Nora mused on her options, she was completely unaware of Sherloque and Ralph watching her. Her reaction had set off alarm bells in their heads. While the others would think nothing of Nora’s reaction, they knew better. Nora was hiding something and this new Meta was important somehow. They had to find out why that was.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Night_

_“Okay, I understand Caitlin, but why would Barry go with her?” Ralph asked as he, Joe, Cisco, and Iris stood in the cortex._

_“Because he’s been hit,” Joe said and they all looked over at him. “I wasn’t sure until now, but he must have gotten hit by Clarence to.”_

_“Great. Hey Iris, next time you wanna undermine Barry, could you not do it when a Meta is messing with his head?” Cisco said irritably._

_“Hey, this isn’t my fault,” iris snapped._

_“Isn’t it? Barry wasn’t saying anything he didn’t mean, he just doesn’t have control over himself anymore. And he’s right; you do this all the time. Barry will tell us to do one thing and then you come in and completely undermine him, tell us to something else and Barry just goes along with it despite the fact that you clearly have no respect for him. Well,  apparently that bothers him!” Cisco snapped._

_“Hey! Tearing each other apart isn’t going to help us find them,” Joe said, taking charge. “Ralph, you and I will hit the streets, see if we can find anything on Barry and Caitlin. Cisco, Clarence’s powers are obviously similar to Bivolo, see if you can work up what we used on Barry then to find a way to get them back to normal. According to the witness statements, those affected by Clarence started small but their behavior escalated the longer they were affected. We don’t know what they’ll do next.”_

_Central City_

_Same time_

_“Nice place,” Barry said as Caitlin led him inside a pretty spacious apartment. “Where are we?”_

_“One of Amunet’s old safe houses from back when I was working with her. Should be a good place to lay low for a while,” Caitlin said as she eyed him. “Why did you do that back there?”_

_“You told me to pick a side,” Barry reminded her. “I picked yours.”_

_“Why?” Caitlin asked curiously._

_“Because I wanted to. Because it felt right. Right now…I don’t know if you or I are affected by that Meta or not, but the only thing that feels right right now is this,” Barry said passionately._

_Neither of them were sure who moved first but suddenly Caitlin found herself against the wall, her and Barry’s mouths fused together as they kissed passionately. Barry’s hands roamed her body as Caitlin tugged at his coat. They separated so Barry could remove his jacket and, at super speed, he removed her shirt to reveal her black lace bra underneath. Barry picked her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as Barry sped through the apartment. Finding a room with a bed, Barry placed her on it, removed his shirt and climbed on top of her as they resumed where they’d left off._


	6. Victories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ralph and Sherloque continue their investigation of Nora, Team Flash sets a trap for Cicada. In flash forwards, Team Flash tries to help an uninhibited Barry and Caitlin.

Star Labs, Time Vault

Morning

 

“So there is no record of John Clarence at all in the Flash Museum?” Ralph asked Gideon.

 

“No, the only record of him is a newspaper article written about him the day after he was captured by The Flash,” Gideon confirmed.

 

“So, Nora has lied to us, hmm,” Sherloque mused.

 

“But why?” Ralph wondered.

 

“That is, as you say, million dollar question, is it not?” Sherloque said and Ralph nodded with a frown.

 

“Either way, this Meta is important for some reason. We need to find out why, he could be the key to finding out what Nora is hiding,” Ralph said firmly.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Morning_

_Cisco was working on a machine when Iris walked up._

_“Is that it?” Iris asked and Cisco nodded stiffly._

_“Same thing we used on Barry seven years ago when Bivolo whammied him. Gideon helped me modify it so it’ll work on him and Caitlin now. But that’s the easy part, they won’t go down without a fight,” Cisco sighed._

_“Cisco…I know we’re both worried about Barry and Caitlin. I think we both said some things we didn’t mean,” Iris started._

_“No, I meant it, and I still do,” Cisco said bluntly as he looked over at Iris. “You don’t see Barry as a partner, as an equal.”_

_“What, of course I do!” Iris exclaimed indignantly._

_“If you did, you would have trusted him to try and reach Caitlin and maybe we wouldn’t’ be in this mess!” Cisco exclaimed as he got to his feet. “You don’t respect him and he knows that. What he said, that’s how he really feels, he just won’t ever say it. Once he’s back to his old self, he’ll just go back to letting you treat him like crap. Well, I’m done. Barry can’t stand up for himself against you, so I’ll do it for him. Because Barry deserves better than a wife who doesn’t respect him and who walks all over him.”_

_Cisco then brushed passed her, bumping her shoulder as he went, leaving Iris to her thoughts._

_Central City_

_Same time_

_Barry stared up into space, Caitlin sleeping peacefully on his chest. His mind was on the events of the previous night. Specifically, his and Caitlin’s…well, most would call it an affair, but what they’d shared last night felt too intimate to be called something as degrading as that. He knew he’d broken his marriage vows, cheated on his wife. But, in that moment, he didn’t care. For, in that moment, he knew nothing had ever made him feel as free and alive as the woman he was sharing a bed with._

Central City

Now

 

“Why’d I get stuck on lookout duty?” Cisco whined as he sat in the café, eying John Clarence as he drank his tea.

 

“So we can keep an eye on our target. Make sure he doesn’t get away,” Barry said over the Comms.

 

“And what about Cicada?” Cisco asked, fear coursing through him at the mention of the Meta killer.

 

“Leave him to us,” Killer Frost told him.

 

Cisco was about to respond when he suddenly stiffened. Suddenly, a different energy seemed to wash over the café. Everyone in the cafe seemed to sense the sudden change in the atmosphere, as it all grew very quiet.

 

Then, the doors burst open and, like Darth Vader, the hissing breathing of Cicada struck fear into the hearts of everyone in the café.

 

“He’s here,” Cisco said in a shout whisper.

 

“John Clarence,” Cicada said in his gravelly voice. “You and your kind have laid siege on this city. Your time is up.”

 

Cicada threw his dagger at Clarence and it sailed through the air. However, a blast of ice hit the dagger and it was frozen in what seemed like a sculpture of ice.

 

“Sorry, there won’t be any killing today,” Killer Frost as she stood behind Cicada.

 

There was a red blur in the room and Clarence disappeared. Moments later, Barry appeared in the room not far from Cicada.

 

“Everyone, get out,” Barry ordered and it didn’t take long for everyone but him, Cicada, Killer Frost, and Cisco to leave. “This ends now Orlin.”

 

“No, it’s only beginning!” Cicada snarled as Barry rushed him.

 

Barry slugged him but Cicada just seemed to take the hit, punching Barry back. Cisco shot a Vibe Beam at Cicada and Barry sped out of the way. The beam hit Cicada and he was thrown into a table as Frost made her own Ice Dagger.

 

“Like I told you, it’s over. You can’t win,” Barry said as he began making his over to Cicada.

 

“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s you who can’t win!” Cicada snarled.

 

Suddenly, his dagger broke free from its Icey prison and went sailing back into his hand. Before Barry could do anything, Cicada slammed his dagger down onto the floor and Barry, Cisco, and Frost were all thrown back by the wave of energy that it emitted. As Barry and Cisco were on the floor, dazed, Frost stood up, anger in her eyes.

 

“That was a mistake,” Frost said before shooting off an ice blast at him.

 

However, Cicada is able to cut through it with his dagger and rushed forward. Kicking Frost in the abdomen, Cicada sent her down to the floor. Pulling out his dagger, Cicada tried to strike Frost with it but Barry rushed forward, punching him and getting him away from Frost.

 

“Stay away from her!” Barry snarled, knocking the dagger out of Cicada’s hands.

 

Barry had never been more grateful for those two days he’d spent as Oliver Queen. Some lingering effects had been Oliver’s inherit fighting ability rubbing off on Barry. He was nowhere near up to Oliver’s level, but he could certainly hold his own against the likes of Cicada, even without his powers.

 

Barry knocked Cicada into a table before kicking in the chest. He grabbed a chair and beginning beaming him over the head with it. Cicada’s mask was dislodged and Barry began punching him at rapid fire.

 

“Flash! Flash! Barry!”

 

Suddenly, a warm handed grabbed his wrist, stopping him from punching him. Breathing heavily, Barry looked over at the concerned face of Caitlin.

 

“It’s okay. I’m fine, he’s knocked out,” they looked down at the unconscious Orlin. “It’s over. You won.”

 

_Central City, 2021_

_Afternoon_

_“You sure this is the place?” Joe as he drove the Star Labs van up to the house._

_“Facial recognition picked up Barry and Caitlin stopping by here this morning,” Iris said._

_“Joe, you need to stay in the car. When I give you the signal, open the back. The machine should take care of the rest,” Cisco said as he and Ralph arrived on scene and Iris got out of the car. “Iris, what are you doing?”_

_“I’m going in. I’m the best chance you have of reaching Barry,” Iris said confidently._

_“Right, because that worked so well yesterday,” Cisco said sarcastically as he and Ralph started moving towards the house. “Stay out here and stay out of our way. You want Barry back, let us handle this.”_

_Cisco and Ralph entered the house, looking around. Seeing no sign of Barry or Caitlin, the pair quickly moved through the house. Ralph went up the stairs as Cisco continued looking down stairs. Ralph entered a room and was immediately hit by a blast of ice, freezing him to the wall._

_“Hey Ralph,” Killer Frost said, a dark gleam in her eyes. “You know what happens to rubber when it gets cold?”_

_“It cracks,” Ralph said uncomfortably._

_“That’s right buddy,” Barry said as he stepped out from the corner of the room. “So I’d think very carefully about your next move.”_

_“Barry, this isn’t you,” Ralph said, trying to reach his friend but Barry only smirked._

_“That’s where you’re wrong Ralph. You see, I feel more myself than I ever have. Maybe Clarence has messed with my head, but you know what? I don’t care. I feel more like me than I ever have. I’m not going back Ralph,” Barry said a conviction that took Ralph back._

_“What do you want?” Ralph asked wearily._

_“We want you to let us go. Stand down and let us leave,” Barry said._

_“I can’t do that. You two are my friends and you’re not well,” Ralph told them._

_Suddenly, Ralph’s body turned slack and he stretched out of the ice before surging forward, his fist connecting with Barry’s face. Barry was sent flying through the window as Frost snarled in rage._

_“You’re gonna pay for that!” Frost shouted as she threw a blast of ice at him._

_Using his super speed, Barry landed safely on the ground outside and was about to speed back inside when Iris got in his way._

_“Get out of the way Iris,” Barry said coldly._

_“Barry, this isn’t you. You must know that deep down something isn’t right. Barry, trust me, I know you,” Iris said and Barry laughed humorlessly, a sound that sent chills down her spine._

_And not in a good way._

_“Because you know me better than anyone, right? Like when you couldn’t tell when I had feelings for you for practically our lives. Or when you couldn’t understand why I had to go into the Speed Force. Or how, despite the fact that you know I hate shrinks, you made me go to therapy where you could whine about me leaving you when you knew I couldn’t defend myself,” Barry sneered and, for the first time, Iris felt pure fear as Barry glared at her._

_“Barry, please. Remember, we’re The Flash,” Iris said._

_“No, we’re not The Flash. I’m The Flash. And maybe you’re what’s been holding me back. No more,” Barry said menacingly as he took a step towards Iris._

_Before he could get far, Barry saw a blue beam headed towards him. Barry sped out of the way, avoiding the beam as Cisco rushed forward, pushing Iris behind him._

_“Get out of the way Iris. Like I said, the only way we’re gonna reach him is by using my machine,” Cisco said._

_“Hey Cisco. Don’t suppose you’d just let us go on our way?” Barry asked._

_“You know I can’t do that,” Cisco said and Barry shrugged._

_“Oh well,” Barry said before starting to speed towards Cisco._

_Cisco shot out two Vibe Beams and Barry dodged. It became a game of cat and mouse, Cisco firing Vibe beams and Barry dodging, this went on for a few minutes before they heard a crash._

_Everyone looked up to see Killer Frost struggling; Ralph’s elastic arms wrapped around her as he used his legs to lower them to the ground. Cisco then took advantage of Barry’s distraction by shooting a Vibe Beam at him. Barry dodged but wasn’t able to stop Ralph’s legs wrapping around him, restraining him._

_“Joe now!” Cisco barked._

_The back of the truck opened up, revealing a barrage of flashing colors. Barry and Frost stopped struggling, the lights affecting them. Their eyes flashed gold for a moment before they returned to their normal colors. Barry and Frost slumped as Ralph released them, returning to solid form as the pair fell to their knees._

_“Are they okay?” Joe asked as he got out of the van._

_“Yeah, they’ll be fine. But we should get them back to Star Labs, make sure,” Cisco ordered, relived that his two best friends were themselves again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, Cicada should have been caught a lot sooner, but was saved from 5x08 on due to plot armor. Which made an already unimpressive main villain much worse.


	7. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the rest of Team Flash celebrates their victory over Cicada, Nora makes a decision which puts her at odds with Ralph. In flashforwards, Team Flash attempts to move forward from Caitlin and Barry's actions.

Star Labs

Afternoon

 

Barry and Joe stood on the other side of the glass, watching as Orlin banged his fists on the glass in the pipeline.

 

“I’ll get out of here,” Orlin snarled as he glared at them. “I will kill every last Meta!”

 

“No you won’t,” Barry said as he moved to flip the switch. “You’re being transferred somewhere you can’t hurt anyone anymore. I’m sorry for what happened to you, but that doesn’t give you the right to go around murdering people. It’s over Orlin. You lost.”

 

Barry pressed the button and the metal door lowered, muffling Orlin’s scream of rage. Barry and Joe walked out of the pipeline, heading for the Cortex.

 

“Where is he headed anyway?” Joe asked.

 

“I talked to Lyla, he’s being transferred to an Argus black site until they can figure out how to destroy the dagger or neutralize his connection to it. Then, she’ll send him to Iron Heights,” Barry explained.

 

“I’m not exactly happy with this Bar,” Joe said uncertainly.

 

“Neither am I, but what other choice do we have?  We can’t let him go to Iron Heights, not as long as he’s connected to that dagger. Argus is the only place he’s not a threat to anyone. And it’s only temporary, until they find a way to deal with that dagger,” Barry said and Joe sighed.

 

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Joe muttered as they entered the cortex.

 

Cisco, Caitlin, Ralph, and Nora were watching the feed from both Orlin and John Clarence’s cells. While everyone was watching Orlin’s feed, Nora’s eyes were drawn to Clarence’s, something only Ralph seemed to notice. He frowned, concerned and worried about Nora’s fixation on this new Meta and what it could mean.

 

“Yeah, let’s see how tough you are now Cicada,” Cisco said gleefully as he watched Orlin scream.

 

“You’re enjoying this a bit too much,” Caitlin noted and Cisco shrugged.

 

“What about Clarence? What do we do with him?” Nora asked.

 

“Well, I did some digging once we found out he was Cicada’s target. He was a jewel thief prior to the Accelerator explosion. He went dark after that but there have been a lot of unexplained heists in places he was alleged to have been spotted in with people acting strangely. I hardly think that’s a coincidence,” Joe explained.

 

“We’ll send him to Iron Heights tomorrow morning. For now, we just stopped Cicada. I think this is a cause for a celebration,” Barry said.

 

“I’m up for that. Drinks are on me,” Cisco said cheerfully.

 

“You guys up for it?” Barry asked as he looked around at the others.

 

“Sure, it’s been a while since we had any fun,” Caitlin shrugged.

 

“I think I’m gonna stick around here for a bit,” Nora said as they all looked over at her. “There’s something I want to check.”

 

“You sure?” Barry asked and she nodded. “Well, okay.”

 

“I’m gonna have to pass to,” Ralph said as they all looked over at him. “Sherly wanted to meet up so we could talk about something.”

 

“You two sure spend a lot of time together recently,” Cisco noted suspiciously, remembering his conversation with Ralph from last night.

 

“I’m helping him out with something,” Ralph said vaguely, giving Cisco a look that said ‘drop it’.

 

Cisco got the hint, nodding as he accepted that it was something Ralph couldn’t tell him just yet.

 

“Well, if you change your minds, feel free to join us,” Barry offered.

 

As he, Joe,  Cisco and Caitlin walked out, Barry felt Caitlin tug on his sleeve. Pausing, Barry turned around to face her.

 

“Thank you, for today. You probably saved my life,” Caitlin said gratefully.

 

“What are friends for? He was gonna hurt you Cait, I wasn’t going to let that happen,” Barry promised. “We protect each other-”

 

“Until the end,” Caitlin finished.

 

As Caitlin leaned up, kissing him on the cheek, Nora saw this. Nora was filled with rage, narrowing her eyes. She knew what she had to do. It was the only way to make sure her family stayed together and her father never disappeared.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Late afternoon_

_“Everything looks normal,” Caitlin said softly after Cisco handed her the scans on her and Barry’s brains._

_Cisco nodded as the quiet descended upon the lab. This was easily the most awkward medical emanation in the team’s history. Not because he had to be the one using the medical equipment, Caitlin had easily been able to talk him thorough it. No, it was because Barry and Caitlin couldn’t seem to look each other in the eyes._

_Something had obviously happened between them, their behavior at the house and now here said as much. But Cisco wasn’t going to pry. If they wanted to tell him, they would in their own time._

_“So how are you guys doing?” Ralph asked as he, Joe, and Iris walked into the med bay._

_“We’re fine. We’re ourselves again,” Caitlin said with a sigh. “I’m really sorry about everything that happened.”_

_“Hey, it’s okay. You weren’t in your right mind,” Joe said as he walked over, putting a hand on her shoulder._

_She smiled gratefully but couldn’t meet Iris’ eyes. She meant everything she had said to Iris, but it didn’t matter. She had slept with Iris’ husband. No matter if she and Barry where in their right minds, that was unforgivable. While she had no care for the woman, Caitlin was ashamed of herself. Caitlin abruptly stood up and walked out of the med bay, brushing passed Iris without a word. Barry stood up and walked passed everyone, following after Caitlin._

_“Barry,” Iris called out, grabbing his arm._

_He yanked it out of her hand, a look on his face that Iris probably mistook as anger. But it was, in fact, shame._

_“Just…I need some space Iris,” Barry told her softly before he walked off._

_Iris stared after him, hurt. And fearful, because she felt it then, a distance forming between them. And that terrified her._

_“Could you guys us give us a minute?” Joe asked as he looked over at Ralph and Cisco._

_“Sure,” Cisco said and Ralph nodded before they walked out._

_“I don’t understand. I thought things would be fine once we got him back to normal dad,” Iris said as she looked over at her father, desperately seeking guidance._

_“Iris…what Barry said, what he did, there is some truth to that. Maybe he wasn’t aware of how he really felt until he was stripped of inhibitions, but the point is he does feel that you don’t respect him. If you want your marriage to work, you need to fix that,” Joe told her wisely._

_In the hall, Barry caught up with Caitlin._

_“Cait,” Barry said and she stopped, visibly tense. “We need to talk about what happened.”_

_“No we don’t,” Caitlin said tersely._

_“Cait-” Barry started._

_“Barry, you’re married to Iris. What happened between us, it doesn’t mean anything, it can’t mean anything. Just…go back to your wife, your daughter, and forget it ever happened,” Caitlin said without looking at him._

_“Can you forget it happened?” Barry asked softly._

_“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine,” Caitlin said in a voice that sounded hollow even to her own ears as she walked down the hall, leaving him staring after her._

Star Labs

Now

 

John Clarence sat in the pipeline, staring into space before the metal shelling lifted up. He looked up, getting to his feet as he saw a biracial girl standing on the other side of the door.

 

“May I help you?” He asked and Nora laughed bitterly.

 

“Help me? You took everything from me. You destroyed my family,” Nora sneered as he looked at her curiously.

 

“I don’t even know who you are,” Clarence told her, baffled.

 

“And you never will,” Nora sneered, vibrating her body, phasing through the glass and vibrating her hand. “The security cameras are off line for another ten minutes, I made sure of it. They’ll never even know what happened, what I saved them from. But in order to do it, you have to die. I would say I’m sorry…but I don’t want the last thing you hear to be a lie.”

 

Clarence looked at her, fear on his face as he realized he was about to die. But, before Nora could deliver the blow, the cell door opened up. Nora froze, slowly looking over her shoulder as Ralph stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

 

“Get away from him, now,” Ralph ordered.

 

“Ralph, you don’t understand,” Nora started.

 

“Be quiet, you’ve been lying to us ever since you got here,” Ralph snapped and she froze. “I know you’re not working alone. Someone is helping you. I didn’t want to believe it, but you were gonna kill him.”

 

“He has to die!” Nora snapped.

 

“Not your call!” Ralph snapped stretching his hand and grabbing her.

 

Ralph yanked Nora out of the cell and pressed the button, closing the cell door, both keeping Clarence in and protecting him. Ralph threw Nora to the floor and she got up, anger on her face.

 

“You don’t know what you’ve done,” Nora snapped.

 

“I know I stopped you from murdering a man. How many other lies are there Nora? Who are you, really?” Ralph demanded. 

 

“I’m trying to save my family. I won’t let you stop me!” Nora snarled, speeding over to Ralph.

 

Ralph stretched his fist into giant proportion, slamming it into the speeding Nora. One thing that hadn’t changes is she still rushed in without thinking. Nora was sent flying, crashing into the wall before getting up, sneering at Ralph. Before she could make a move, she was hit in the shoulder with a power dampener. She swayed, feeling her powers nullified before Ralph sent a flying, rubber fist at her. It hit her full on and she went down, out cold. Ralph retracted his fist, looking up as Sherloque, armed with a modified tranq gun, walked in with a look of astonishment on his face.

 

“When I started this investigation, this was not where I expected it to lead,” Sherloque said.

 

“I don’t think anyone could have Sherly,” Ralph said as he looked down at Nora. “But the question is…why?”


	8. To the future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Team Flash attempts to make sense of Nora's actions, Sherloque proposes a plan that would give them the answers they need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot actually happens in this chapter, but the next few chapters will make up for it, I promise. Hope you enjoy it.

Star Labs

Night

 

Barry, Iris, Cisco, Caitlin, Joe and Cecile watched in horrified disbelief as Ralph showed them the security footage of Nora attempting to kill Clarence before Ralph intervened. Ralph turned off the footage, looking wearily at the team.

                      

“I know that must have been difficult for you guys to see,” Ralph said slowly.

 

“I don’t understand, why would she do this?” Iris demanded, her mind whirling.

 

“That is million dollar question, is it not?” Sherloque said lowly.

 

“How long have you suspected Nora?” Barry asked as he looked over at Sherloque.

 

“Since I first arrived here. It did make sense, why she suddenly decided to intervene when Star Labs satellite fell. For one such as Nora, impulsive, it did not make sense. I believe she is not working alone,” Sherloque said.

 

“Why didn’t you tell any of us?” Iris asked angrily.

 

“You told me to drop it when you found out,” Sherloque deadpanned and Iris glowered, realizing he had her there.

 

“And you’ve been in on this, the whole time?” Caitlin asked as she looked over at Ralph.

 

“No, just the last couple days,” Ralph said.

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Barry asked, not angrily, but curious.

 

“I was following a trail, I did not know where it led,” Sherloque said.

 

“Besides, we weren’t sure what we would find. We still don’t,” Ralph pointed out. “But she’s been lying to us ever since she got here. John Clarence isn’t in the Flash Museum, we checked with Gideon.”

 

“Why would Nora lie?” Cecile wondered.

 

“Only one person can answer that,” Barry said as he got out of his chair. “I’m gonna go get answers.”

 

“Right, let’s go,” Iris said as she moved to go with him.

 

“You’re not coming,” Barry said and iris froze.

 

“What? I’m her mother,” Iris said angrily.

 

“Nora has been lying to us since the day she showed up here. What she needs right now isn’t her parents. What she needs to see is The Flash, who wants answers,” Barry told her.

 

Iris watched astonished as Barry left the cortex, wondering what had just happened.

 

Nora was in the pipeline, seething as she sat her knees. She’d been so close to changing the future, to saving her father and her parents’ marriage. If only Ralph hadn’t interfered. Suddenly, the metal shelling lifted up and she jumped, looking up to see her father standing on the other side of the glass with an unreadable look on his face.

 

“Dad,” Nora said as she got to her feet.

 

“You tried to kill John Clarence. Why?” Barry asked.

 

“Dad, you don’t understand. He needs to die,” Nora insisted.

 

“That’s not your decision to make Nora. And that’s not an answer. Ralph turned the security cameras back on when you went down to the pipeline. We saw everything,” Barry said and she paled. “You said he destroyed your family. How?”

 

Nora wanted to tell him, to warn him so he’d understand. But that would lead to the incident, and she couldn’t tell him that. He wouldn’t understand, none of them would. So Nora just remained silent. After a few moments, Barry sighed.

 

“Well, maybe a night in the pipeline will make you a bit more cooperative,” Barry said sadly as he pushed a button, causing the metal shelling to lower, hiding Nora from view.

 

_Central City, 2021_

_Morning_

_It had been several weeks since Clarence and while, to the outsiders view, things had gone back to normal, it was obvious that something had changed. Between Barry and Iris, between Caitlin and Iris, but especially between Barry and Caitlin. Which is why Barry stood on Caitlin’s doorstep, knocking on her door._

_“Cait, we need to talk,” Barry said when she didn’t answer. “Please Cait, I know you’re there. Open the door.”_

_On the other side of the door, Caitlin was on her knees, which were drawn up to her chest as she listened to Barry’s voice._

_“I know what happened between us, there’s no going back from it. We need to talk about it. I can’t talk about it with Iris or Joe and I don’t think Cisco or Ralph would understand. And the one person I want to talk about it with is shutting me out. I know you said don’t worry about you…but I’ll always worry about you. Maybe you just don’t want to talk about it with me, but please Cait…don’t shut me out.”_

_Barry waited for a few seconds but the door didn’t open. With a sigh, Barry dejectedly began making his way back towards the car._

_On the other side of the door, Caitlin sighed shakily before standing up. She walked to the bathroom and picked up the box on the counter. Only one way to be sure, she reminded herself as she pulled out a pregnancy test._

Star Labs

Now

 

“Barry, this is our daughter. We can’t just treat her like another Meta,” Iris insisted as she argued with Barry.

 

“Just because she’s our daughter doesn’t mean we can treat her any differently. She tried to kill someone Iris. She’s keeping things from us, lying to us. Maybe since the first day she showed up here. We can’t believe a word she says,” Barry argued back.

 

“You don’t know that,” Iris argued.

 

“Iris is right,” Caitlin said and Barry looked at her incredulous. “We don’t know anything. Because Nora won’t tell us why she tried to kill Clarence.”

 

“Maybe she had a good reason,” Iris insisted and everyone stared at her incredulously.

 

“A good-Iris, do you hear yourself?” Joe exclaimed shocked.

 

“We can’t trust someone who won’t tell us the truth. We’ve been down this road before, with Zoom,” Barry said and it was quiet in the cortex. “I warned you, I told you guys that his story didn’t add up, that he was keeping something from us. None of you believed me and my dad paid the price. I refuse to make the same mistakes with Nora. Until we know whether we can trust her, she stays in the pipeline.”

 

“Okay, I’m on board with that, but how can we figure out whether we can trust her or not?” Ralph wondered and Barry didn’t have an answer.

 

“Perhaps there is a way,” Sherloque said and they all turned to him. “Way to get to the heart of the matter, hmm. A way to determine why Nora would want to kill John Clarence and to answer how we can trust her.”

 

“How?” Cisco asked curiously.

 

“Barry must go to the future, ask Joseph West of that time to answer why she would do what did,” Sherloque said and they all stared at him for a moment.

 

“Okay, that’s pretty good,” Cisco admitted.

 

“You know I’ll always be straight with you about something like this Bar, no matter what time I’m from,” Joe said and Barry nodded.

 

“Okay. I’ll go, get answers. No one do anything while I’m gone,” Barry looked pointedly at Iris at this before Barry turned and walked out, about to take a trip through time…again.

 

Central City, 2049

 

The city was different, Barry noted. It was cleaner, looked like something out of ‘Back to the future’ or some other sci-fi movie. But still, the house he had grown up in looked the same. Barry slowly knocked on the door, feeling weird about this. An elderly black woman opened the door and shared at him, as if in shock.

 

“Barry?” she croaked and Barry stared at her before his eyes widened in realization.

 

“Cecile? Is that you?” Barry asked shocked and she nodded.

 

“You’re from the past, aren’t you?” Cecile realized and he nodded.

 

“2019. I need answers about the future, about Nora,” Barry said and her eyes’ widened at hearing him say his daughter’s name. “She traveled back to the past, has been staying with us. She tried to kill a man named John Clarence and I need to know why. I need to talk to Joe. Is he around?”

 

“Barry…Joe passed away two years ago,” Cecile said gently and Barry’s eyes widened as grief hit him. “He died peacefully, in his sleep. But I think I might be able to answer your questions. I think I know why Nora tried to kill John Clarence.”


	9. The truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecile tells Barry the events that led to the destruction of the West-Allen family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my longest chapter and will answer a lot of the questions you guys have. I hope you all enjoy it.

West house, 2049

Late afternoon

 

“Would you like something to drink? Maybe some tea?” Cecile asked as she led Barry inside the house.

 

“I don’t want tea, thank you,” Barry said politely.

 

“I know, you want answers,” Cecile said as she sat down in the chair Barry had seen Joe sit in for most if his childhood as he saw down on the couch. “What do you know?”

 

“Next to nothing. She said John Clarence destroyed her family. What does she mean by that Cecile?” Barry asked and Cecile sighed.

 

“From Iris’ perspective and I guess she told this to Nora so it’s hers as well, he did destroy her family. But the truth is he was just the catalyst,” Cecile said wearily. “In 2021, John Clarence was a Meta the team was trying to bring in. Do you know his powers?”

 

“He can strip people of their inhibitions,” Barry said and Cecile nodded.

 

 “You beat him, easily, but what we didn’t realize at the time was that he hit you and Caitlin with his powers. We didn’t realize anything was wrong until Killer Frost froze a man’s arm off. You tried to talk to her, but Iris didn’t agree and tried to bring her in. That set you off and the two of you went on the run. Cisco, Ralph, and Joe managed to get the two of you back to yourselves but…it was too late. We had no idea what had been set in motion,” Cecil sighed.

 

_Star Labs, 2021_

_Morning_

_Caitlin is in the longue, looking out the window as Barry walked over._

_“Hey. I’m glad you made it into work today,” Barry said awkwardly, trying to reach out._

_“I’m sorry that I haven’t been by,” Caitlin said softly._

_“Cait…if you don’t want to talk to me about what happened between us, I get it. Just please, don’t shut everyone else in your life out to,” Barry begged and Caitlin sighed._

_“I need to tell you something. Something that will change our lives…and I’m not sure how you’re gonna feel about it or me afterwards,” Caitlin said softly as she looked at him._

_“Cait…whatever it is it can’t be that bad,” Barry said as he saw the anxiety on her face and she smiled weakly._

_“I hope you feel that way after I tell you this,” Caitlin said, taking a deep breath as she tried to gather the courage she needed. “I’m pregnant…and you’re the father.”_

_Whatever Barry had been expecting, it wasn’t that. For a moment, he just stared at her, not comprehending what she was saying. Then, when her words and their meaning washed over him, Barry turned away, putting a hand to his face as he absorbed this._

_“Are-are you gonna keep it?” Barry asked as he turned around after he managed to (somewhat) get a handle on himself._

_“Yeah, I am. Even though the circumstances are less than ideal…I already love it,” Caitlin said with a soft smile as she placed a hand on her stomach. “I wouldn’t get an abortion even if you asked me to.”_

_“I would never ask you to do that,” Barry told her quickly and she nodded._

_“I know. Barry, I know this will really complicate your life. I don’t expect anything from you; I just thought you should know. If you don’t want to be involved, you don’t have to be. No one has to know you’re the father except us,” Caitlin said and he gave her a wounded look._

_“Do you really think I’m that kind of guy?” Barry asked insulted. “Yeah, I’m still processing this and it will make my marriage more complicated. But no matter what happens with Iris, I want to be in my child’s life.”_

_“I just don’t want you to feel obligated,” Caitlin explained._

_“It’s my kid, of course I feel obligated. My dad, he couldn’t be in my life because of Thawne. Joe was great and all, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wonder what my life would have been like if Thawne hadn’t framed my dad for murder. I’m gonna be there for our child. And I’ll be there for you to, if you’ll let me be,” Barry said and, for the first time since she found out, Caitlin didn’t feel so scared about the situation anymore._

West House, 2049

 

Barry sat in the couch, stunned as Cecile paused to let him process this news.

 

“Caitlin and I slept together without our inhibitions and Caitlin got pregnant,” Barry put a hand to his head. “That’s just…”

 

“A mess?” Cecile supplied and Barry nodded.

 

“God, I can’t believe I would do that to Iris,” Barry said ashamed.

 

“You weren’t in your right mind Barry, neither was Caitlin. Neither of you are to blame for what happened,” Cecile told him gently.

 

“Did Iris see it that way?” Barry asked hopefully and Cecile winced.

 

“Not exactly…”

 

_Barry and Iris’s lift, 2021_

_Night_

_Barry dodged a plate Iris threw it at him, which promptly shattered as it hit the wall._

_“How could you cheat on me!?” Iris snarled angrily._

_“We were affected by Clarence’s powers! Neither Caitlin or I were in our right minds!” Barry tried to explain one more time what he had been trying to for the last twenty minutes._

_“Don’t say her name! You always defend her, but there is no defending her from this! Get out! I don’t care where you go, but it won’t be here,” Iris sneered._

_“Iris-” Barry tried._

_“Get out!” Iris sneered._

_With a sigh, Barry turned and walked out. He knew that talking to Iris right now would do no good. Maybe when she calmed down, they could talk, try to work through it._

_Star Labs_

_Next morning_

_Cisco and Ralph stared in stunned shock after Barry and Caitlin had explained the situation to them. Needless to say, it threw the both of them for a loop._

_“So, you two are having a baby?” Ralph asked as he looked back and forth between Barry and Caitlin, trying to wrap his head around this._

_“Mazel tov?” Cisco said as more of a question than a statement._

_“Look, we don’t expect you guys to just accept this; we know it’s going to take some getting used to. But we thought we should tell you because you’re our best friends,” Caitlin explained._

_As Cisco and Ralph try to process this news, Joe walked into the cortex, an unreadable look on his face. Barry and Caitlin both tense, knowing Iris had probably told him. Barry had wanted to tell Joe himself, but Iris had beaten him to the punch._

_“Cisco, Ralph, could I talk to Barry and Caitlin alone for a minute?” Joe asked calmly._

_Cisco and Ralph looked hesitant to leave but Barry gave them a smile that was hardly as reassuring as it looked. Reluctantly, the pair left the cortex. For a moment, it was silent before Barry spoke._

_“Joe, I know you must be angry with us-”_

_“I’m not,” Joe said, taking them both back. “I’m not happy about the situation, but I don’t blame either of you. You weren’t in your right minds. And, even though I’m less than happy about the circumstances, some good did come out of this in the form of this baby. Iris may not be able to see that right now, but I can. No matter what happens, this will always be my grandchild and I won’t treat him or her any differently than I treat Nora.”_

_Neither Barry nor Caitlin could describe the relief they felt at his words. They had feared they would lose Joe with this, so it was a relief to know he would accept their child. But they knew the struggle was only beginning. Because the Iris shaped shadow loomed over their future._

West House, 2049

 

“I guess it was too much to hope that Iris would react well,” Barry sighed miserably.

 

“Iris couldn’t handle it, no,” Cecile said softly, trying to prepare him.

 

“What does any of this have to do with why Nora would try to kill Clarence? I mean, did my and Caitlin’s kid really cause that much of a strain on my marriage?” Barry inquired.

 

“No, it wasn’t just that. If it was just that, I think you would found your way back to Iris,” Cecile said with an amount of venom that surprised Barry. “But, despite everyone’s efforts to deny it, the baby changed things for all of us. Iris, she was so filled with bitterness and anger every time she saw Caitlin.”

 

“Can’t say it wasn’t without reason,” Barry muttered and Cecile looked at him long and hard.

 

“I’d almost forgotten,” Cecile muttered and Barry looked confused.

 

“Forgotten what?”

 

“How you used to defend Iris constantly, justify even her most selfish actions,” Cecile said and Barry was thrown by this. “To an extent, Iris’ behavior was understandable, but any sympathy I had, that any of us had, for her was gone halfway through the pregnancy. We’d thought, perhaps hoped, that Iris would come to terms with the baby; accept it even if she couldn’t love it. We were wrong.”

 

“Iris couldn’t accept that Caitlin and I were having a child together,” Barry noted sadly and Cecile nodded.

 

“You tried to be understanding, you tried to work on your marriage, but it became impossible when you realized that Iris would never accept your child. You couldn’t in good conscience stay with a woman you knew would hate your child for being born. Two months after you told her about the baby, you officially moved out of the loft. You stayed with Joe and me for a few weeks until you found a place of your own. As Caitlin’s pregnancy progressed, you focused your attention on being a good father to Nora and helping Caitlin through the pregnancy rather than fixing a marriage you saw as broken beyond repair,” Cecile said as Barry listened, stunned. “But even that isn’t the worst of it.”

 

“What’s the worst of it?” Barry asked wearily.

 

“Like I told you, you focused your attention on Caitlin rather than Iris. The baby, it didn’t just change things between you and Iris, it changed things between you and Caitlin to. But while it changed things with iris for the worse, it changed things with Caitlin for the better,” Cecile said with a sad smile.

 

_Caitlin Snow’s apartment, 2022_

_Afternoon_

_“You’re seven months pregnant and you only now decided to get a crib?” Barry asked amused as he read the instructions of the crib Caitlin had bought._

_“I’ve had other things on my mind. Like how we’re going to do this living in two separate homes,” Caitlin said and Barry paused._

_“Maybe we don’t have to,” Barry said and she frowned._

_“What do you mean?” Caitlin asked as Barry put down the instructions before he pulled out a key._

_“This is a spare key to my place. I had it made in case you ever needed something or you were just too tired to head back here. But, I was thinking…maybe my place could be our place,” Barry said and Caitlin was stunned into silence._

_“You’re asking me to move in with you?” It was supposed to be a statement but it came out as more of a question._

_“Yeah. Look, your apartment is a little small for a baby. My place has plenty of room for the three of us, plus Nora when I have her. It just makes sense, doesn’t it? What do you say?” Barry asked and Caitlin was quiet._

_“What about Iris? I don’t think she’ll be happy we’re living together,” Caitlin pointed out._

_“Iris is a big girl, she’ll have to get over it,” Barry said and Caitlin stared at him for a moment._

_“Is this for practical reasons? Or there something else going on Barry?” Caitlin asked and Barry was confused. “Sometimes, I catch you looking at me with this look on your face. I don’t know how to describe it because I’ve never seen you look at me like that before. But I know Ronnie and Julian used to look at me with that same look. Barry, do you have feelings for me?”_

_“Honestly, I don’t know,” Barry admitted after a few moments. “Sometimes, there are these moments where it’s just you and me and my heart skips a beat when you smile at me or when you laugh. I’ve never felt like that before. But I think a relationship is the last thing I need right now considering Iris and I have only been separated a few months. I’m just trying to do right by you and our kid. I have no ulterior motives,” Barry promised and Caitlin stared at him for a long moment before nodding._

_“Okay. I’ll move in with you, for purely practical reasons,” Caitlin said in what Barry and Cisco called her ‘Dr. Snow’ voice._

_“For purely practical reasons,” Barry agreed with a smile._

West House, 2049

 

“Caitlin and I were together?” Barry asked stunned and Cecile shook her head.

 

“No. You had feelings for her, that was obvious. Maybe it’s something you had always felt but didn’t pursue because of Iris or maybe it was just something that developed as you two tried to do what was best for the baby. But either way; it was obvious to everyone that you had feelings for her, especially to Iris. When she moved in with you…I think that’s what set Iris off. That’s what made her snap,” Cecile said with a grim look on her face and a pit of dread formed in Barry’s stomach.

 

“Cecile, what did Iris do?” Barry asked softly although a part of him didn’t want to know.

 

But a much larger part of him knew he needed to know. He needed to understand why Nora would go to such extremes.

 

“A few weeks after Caitlin moved in with you, Iris called her. She wanted Caitlin to meet her at the loft, allegedly to make peace since their children would be living together on occasions and she thought that it would best they be on civil terms. Caitlin agreed,” Cecile sighed. “If only we’d known what Iris was planning.”

 

_The loft, 2022_

_Morning_

_Iris opened the door to the loft and plastered a fake smile on her face as she saw Caitlin on the other side of the door. She didn’t let the swell of hatred she felt at the sight of Caitlin’s rounded stomach show on her face._

_“Hey Caitlin, come in,” Iris said as she stepped aside to let the other woman in._

_‘This is a bad idea,’ Killer Frost told Caitlin mentally as she walked inside. ‘She’s up to something.’_

_‘Don’t be so paranoid,’ Caitlin told her as Iris closed the door behind them._

_“Would you like something to drink? Maybe some tea?” Iris asked._

_“Tea would be great, thank you,” Caitlin said politely and Iris nodded as she walked off to prepare them some tea._

_Caitlin looked around the room, seeing if anything had changed in the eight months since she’d been here. Not much, it seemed. The apartment had always seemed more Iris than Barry and what little of Barry there was had been removed when Barry had collected his things months ago._

_Iris returned with a cup of tea a lot sooner than Caitlin had expected. Caitlin took it with a polite smile before taking a gulp. She frowned as she lowered it from her lips._

_“Something wrong?” Iris asked innocently._

_“No, it just…it tastes different,” Caitlin said, remembering the taste of Iris’ tea from before. “Not bad, just…different.”_

_“I’m trying a new recipe,” Iris said._

_Caitlin nodded as they sat down on the couch. There was silence for a moment before Caitlin spoke._

_“Look Iris, we don’t have to be friends. We don’t even have to like each other. But for the sake of our children, we need to learn to coexist with each other,” Caitlin said._

_“Oh, don’t worry about that. I think all our problems will go away very soon,” Iris told her, to Caitlin’s confusion._

_Before Caitlin could respond, a sharp pain went through her abdomen. She dropped the cup of tea and the glass shattered on the floor._

_“What did you do?” Caitlin demanded her voice changing and her eyes flashing blue._

_“Made all my problems disappear,” Iris said remorselessly._

_Caitlin stood up, rushing passed Iris as she pulled out her phone. She managed to hit her panic button, never being more thankful Cisco had come up with that idea, before she fell to the floor, eyes rolling back into her head._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would Iris ever do something as morally bankrupt as poisoning a pregnant woman? Probably not, if only because the writers are so pro Iris and treat her like she’s always right and not even they could spin that in a way to make Iris look good. But that doesn’t mean Iris is not capable of it.
> 
> Even before Iris could admit she had feelings for Barry, she had a history of acting like a jealous ex-girlfriend in regards to Barry’s relationships. Iris has also shown herself to be a selfish, emotionally immature, and controlling person prone to bouts of petty anger and vindictiveness. Iris has also shown she has no consideration for anyone but herself, best seen in 5x19 during her argument with Barry. Add those things together and, well, it’s not good. In the words of The Joker, it just takes one bad day to drive someone completely insane. If Iris had that bad day, I have no doubt she is capable of doing something like this.


	10. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in the not so distant future, a crippling loss hits Team Flash as Iris' betrayal is discovered.

West house, 2049

 

“No,” Barry said in stunned shock, struggling to process this. “Iris wouldn’t…she couldn’t…”

 

“She did Barry,” Cecile said gently. “None of us wanted to believe that Iris was capable of something so hatful and evil, but the fact is she was. A few weeks earlier, she’d run a story about a bio weapons smuggling ring that developed a quick acting poison that doesn’t show up on your typical tox screening. When she heard about Caitlin moving in with you, she got her hands on it in the black market. Barry, she tried to kill Caitlin and the baby in a way that couldn’t be traced back to her.”

 

“Caitlin and the baby, what happened to them?” Barry’s blood ran cold at the look on Cecile’s face. “What happened to them?!”

 

_The loft, 2022_

_Morning_

_Barry, in his suit, burst into the loft. He found Caitlin lying on the floor, unconscious as Iris sat near her, appearing panicked._

_“What happened?!” Barry demanded as he rushed to Caitlin’s side._

_“I don’t know. She just collapses,” Iris said sounding freaked out._

_Under normal circumstances, Barry would be able to easily poke holes in Iris’ story. But right now, his concern was only for Caitlin. Barry picked her and sped her out of there._

_Central City Hospital_

_Seconds later_

_It was a normal day at Central City Hospital until The Flash sped in, a pregnant woman in his arms._

_“Please help her,” Barry said desperately._

_Hours later, Barry sat in the waiting room, having changed out of his suit, knowing it would look suspicious if The Flash was waiting for news on some random woman. Cisco, Joe, Ralph, and Cecile rushed up to him at the waiting room, having gotten there once Barry had had the presence of mind to call._

_“How is she?” Cisco asked urgently but Barry shook his head._

_“No one’s come out to tell me anything,” Barry said glumly._

_“What happened Bar?” Joe asked and Barry let out a humorless bark of a laugh._

_“I don’t know. Iris says Caitlin just collapsed,” Barry said miserably._

_Ralph narrowed his eyes, suspicion forming in the back of his mind. But everyone’s attention was dawn to a doctor who walked up to them._

_“You’re all the family of Caitlin Snow?” the doctor asked skeptically._

_“Yes, we are,” Barry said as he got to his feet. “I’m the baby’s father. How are they?”_

_“We were forced to do a C section. Although she’s over a month early, by all accounts, you have a healthy baby girl,” the doctor said and everyone felt the pit of dread in their stomachs loosen slightly._

_“And Caitlin?” Cisco asked and everyone felt their blood run cold at the look on the doctor’s face._

_“Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do. We tried everything we could…but we lost her during the delivery. I’m sorry, she’s gone,” the doctor said remorsefully._

_The news hit all of them like a ton of bricks. Cisco fell to his knees, looking like the world had just been yanked out from under him. Joe just stood there numbly, a single tear running down his cheek as Cecile buried her face in his shoulder. Ralph opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out as, for the first time, Ralph didn’t know what to say._

_And Barry? He simply sunk to his knees, a look of complete devastation on his face._

West house, 2049

 

Barry buried his head in his hands, trying to process this bombshell. Cecile was silent, knowing he was having a hard time coming to terms with this.

 

“Iris killed Caitlin. She tried to kill my daughter to. God, I can’t-I can’t believe this,” Barry said completely overwhelmed.

 

“We didn’t want to believe it either Barry, but it’s true,” Cecile said gently and Barry took deep breaths, attempting to calm himself.

 

“How’d we find out if Iris made sure it couldn’t be traced back to her?” Barry asked after a moment.

 

“Ralph. He always thought what happened was odd, especially when the doctors couldn’t figure out a reason for why Caitlin collapsed. While the rest of us tried to move on by focusing on helping you with raising your daughter, Ralph processed his grief by throwing himself into investigating Caitlin’s death,” Cecile explained. “It took him weeks until he found out the truth.”

 

_Star Labs, 2022_

_Afternoon_

_It was a normal day, or at least as normal as it could be after Caitlin’s death. Barry and Cisco had obviously been the most affected by her death. However, as grief did, Caitlin’s death had only brought her best friends closer. It wasn’t uncommon for Cisco to crash on Barry’s couch after helping Barry with the baby. The baby clearly sensed something missing and was certainly not an easy baby. Clearly, she sensed the loss of her mother, even if she didn’t understand it._

_Cisco was glumly sitting at the computers as Ralph walked in._

_“I know what happened to Caitlin,” Ralph said and Cisco looked up at him. “I know what killed her.”_

_“What?” Cisco asked confused._

_“Okay, so nothing showed up on the tox screens, which is why the doctors couldn’t figure out why her organs suddenly started failing. So I sent a sample of Caitlin’s blood to our friends at Argus to see if they could see anything the doctors missed,” Ralph explained._

_“And they did?” Cisco asked and Ralph nodded._

_“You know that poison that’s been going around the black market lately? The one that’s fast acting and nearly impossible to prove on a tox screen?” Ralph asked._

_“Red Death?” Cisco asked and Ralph nodded._

_“Argus found traces of it in Caitlin’s blood samples I sent them. Cisco, someone poisoned Caitlin,” Ralph said and Cisco was too stunned to react for several moments._

_“Who would want to poison Caitlin, much less while she was pregnant?” Cisco asked shocked._

_“I think we both know someone who would not only want to, but have the opportunity to do it. Think about it, who has the most to gain by killing Caitlin and the baby? Who would have the opportunity? And who would have the means to acquire Red Death?” Ralph asked and it didn’t take Cisco long to catch on._

_“You think Iris did this? I know she’s upset and hates Caitlin, but would she really try to kill her?” Cisco asked, a little skeptical._

_“Come on, you know that her story has had holes in it all along. Besides, she knew how to get Red Death because she ran a story on it last month. Iris is the one who had the most to gain from Caitlin and the baby dying and it happened when Iris invited Caitlin over to talk. That’s means, opportunity, and motive,” Ralph argued and Cisco frowned._

_“That’s all just a theory. A possible theory, but a theory. We need proof,” Cisco pointed out._

_“And I know how to get that proof. But I need your help,” Ralph told him._

_Barry’s place_

_Later in the afternoon_

_Cisco was sitting on the couch, waiting nervously as someone knocked on the door. Cisco stood up and walked over, opening the door. Iris was on the other side and she blinked upon seeing Cisco instead of Barry._

_“Cisco, what are you doing here?” she asked._

_“Barry got called into work. He asked me to let you in when you picked up Nora,” Cisco explained._

_Iris nodded, clearly disappointed and Cisco took a quick glance at her clothes. The way she was dressed looked more like for a date than to pick up your kid. Cisco let her in and ‘accidently’ touched her back as he moved to close the door. Cisco gasped as he got a Vibe._

_Cisco’s Vibe_

_Iris was in her apartment, making tea. She poured a cup before she pulled out a bottle. She opened it and poured whatever was in the bottle into the cup. She puts a spoon in, mixing it into the tea before tossing the spoon into the tea. Iris walked into the living room and hands the tea to Catlin. Caitlin accepts it with a smile and takes a drink, never suspecting what was in the tea._

_End Vibe_

_Cisco stumbled back, hitting the door as Iris looked at him startled._

_“It’s true…you did poison Caitlin,” Cisco said shocked and Iris paled. “You killed her. You tried to kill the baby!”_

_“Whatever you saw, it’s wrong. I didn’t kill her!” Iris denied._

_“Say that to my face.”_

_Iris froze as someone else entered the room. She turned around slowly, finding Barry standing across the room with a hard look on his face._

_“When Ralph and Cisco came to me with their plan, their theory, I thought it was ridiculous. Surely you couldn’t hate my child enough to try and kill her and Caitlin. So, look me in the eye and tell me they’re wrong, that whatever Cisco Vibed is wrong,” Barry demanded looking Iris in the eye._

_Iris opened and closed her mouth but no words came out. Having his answer, Barry sped over and grabbed her, speeding out of the apartment._

_The next thing Iris knew, she found herself in the pipeline, Barry looking at her from the other side with a look he’d only given a few other people. A look of complete hatred._

_“Barry, please, I’m sorry!” Iris begged but Barry was unmoved._

_“No you’re not,” Barry said coolly._

_Barry flicked the swing and the metal shelling of the cell lowered as Barry turned and walked out without a look back at Iris._


	11. Cecile's advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Understanding Nora's motivations but still needing answers, Barry prepares to return to 2019. Before he goes, Cecile gives him some advice.

West House, 2049

 

It had been silent for several moments, Barry silently processing the huge information dump that Cecile had given him.

 

“Barry?” Cecile called gently and Barry was broken out of his thoughts.

 

“Sorry, I was…” Barry trailed off, not sure how to describe it.

 

“It’s okay Barry, I know this is a lot to wrap your head around,” Cecile said sympathetically.       

 

“I just…I don’t understand it,” Barry said as he got to his feet, walking over and staring out the window. “How could Iris have done it? How could she poison Caitlin? My best friend, someone Iris claimed was her friend. While she was pregnant to! How could she do that?”

 

“Total absence of love. Some say that’s the definition of evil,” Cecile said gently.

 

“But Iris isn’t evil! I know her,” Barry said desperately, although a voice in his head that sounded like Thawne taunted him about whether he was trying to convince her or himself.

 

“Do you really know her? Or do you know the little girl who held you as you cried the night your mother was murdered?” Cecile asked and Barry looked away, not sure he had an answer. “Iris is not that girl anymore Barry. She changed. She changed into something dark; it just took us all a very long time to see it, because we didn’t want to see it. Maybe she was like this for a long time or maybe what made her change was the baby. But either way, she changed.”

 

“What happened next?” Barry asked after a moment. “I need to know Cecile.”

 

_Star Labs, 2022_

_Night_

_Every stood in the cortex, silent as they tried to figure out where to go from here. Barry stood in the corner, his arms crossed as he had an angry, closed off expression. Basically, he was doing his best Oliver Queen impression. Cisco was staring at the video feed of Iris in her cell, seeming to see if he had developed heat vision as he glared at the screen. Ralph and Cecile stood in the corner, Cecile staring worriedly at Joe, as her husband sat in a chair, holding his head in his hands as he tried to process what he had learned._

_“So, I say we call up the CCPD and hand Iris over,” Cisco said viciously._

_“Yeah, based on what evidence? I don’t think ‘I had a Vibe’ is going to hold up in court Cisco,” Ralph pointed out. “Besides, one word from her and this entire operation is blown, all our identities are exposed.”_

_“You really think she would do that?” Cecile asked, still having trouble wrapping her head around the situation._

_“She killed Caitlin, tried to kill my daughter. Clearly, we never knew her at all,” Barry said grimly._

_“Just stop,” everyone stopped, looking over at Joe, who looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. “Just stop. Iris…I can’t…god.”_

_For once, words failed him and Joe put a hand to his face, his shoulders shaking as he began crying. Barry’s expression softened and he walked over, placing a hand on Joe’s shoulder. Once Joe had gained control of himself, he looked up at Barry._

_“It’s gonna be okay dad,” Barry promised him. “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not a long time from now. But one day, it’s gonna be okay. I promise.”_

_“But Iris,” Joe said brokenly and Barry smiled tightly._

_“I’ll take of it. Don’t worry about her, oaky? Why don’t you and Cecile head home,” Barry suggested, looking over at Cecile._

_Cecile nodded as she walked over. Barry, Cisco, and Ralph watched as Cecile led her husband out, all of them worrying about him._

_“You really think he’ll be okay?” Ralph inquired._

_“I hope so,” Barry sighed._

_“What are you gonna do about Iris?” Cisco asked and Barry’s eyes narrowed._

_“Like I said, leave it to me,” Barry said before he walked out of the cortex._

_Iris was in her cell, wondering how it had all gone so wrong when the metal shelling lifted up, startling her. Iris stood up as the shelling lifted all the way up, revealing Barry standing on the other side._

_“Was it worth it, killing her?” Barry asked bluntly._

_“I was just trying to put our family back together,” iris insisted and Barry scoffed._

_“By killing my best friend and our daughter? No, you weren’t doing this for our family, you did this for you,” Barry snapped._

_“So, what happens now?” iris asked and Barry was silent._

_“You’re free to go,” Barry said as, to her shock, he flipped the switch and the cell door lifted up._

_“Just like that?” Iris asked shocked as she cautiously walked out._

_“Just like that,” Barry said, stepping away from the switch. “But on one condition: You leave Central City in twenty four hours and never come back.”_

_“What?” Iris asked stunned._

_“You leave Central City in twenty four hours. I don’t know where ‘ll go and I don’t care. Go, never come back, and we won’t ever hear from you again,” Barry demanded._

_“But Nora, I’m her mother,” Iris said desperately and Barry laughed hollowly._

_“Now you think a daughter should have her mother? Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you poisoned Caitlin,” Barry sneered as he stalked over to her. “If you come after me, my friends, or my team, with one call, I can have you placed in an Argus black site. Your call.”_

_“Barry, this isn’t you. You’re not cruel, not like this,” Iris said desperately._

_“You don’t know me, not anymore. Do you know what I wanted to do in the first moment I found out, what my first instinct was? I wanted to drive my vibrating hand through your chest,” Barry sneered and Iris paled. “This is who I am now; this is what you turned me into when you killed Caitlin. Because what you did…it was like being murdered…and surviving. I want you to suffer…the way you made me suffer, I want you to hurt the way I hurt. I want you to live your life…knowing you will never have what you want most.”_

_Barry then turned and walked out, leaving Iris staring after him in horror._

West House, 2049

 

“God. I sound so…” Barry trailed off, not sure how to say it.

 

“Cold? Cruel? When it came to Iris, you were,” Cecile told him gently. “When Caitlin died, it felt like a part of you died with her. Finding out that Iris had killed her, it brought out a side of you none of us ever knew existed. You were never really the same person after that, but then again, none of us really were.”

 

“What happened after that?” Barry asked slowly.

 

“Nothing. Iris did as you said, she left. We never heard from her again until two years later, after you disappeared in the crisis. She filed for custody of Nora, figuring it was safe to act now that you were gone. By pure coincidence, the judge assigned to the case was very intent on reuniting a mother with her daughter. The only evidence we had that she killed Caitlin was Cisco’s Vibe and her confession, which the only witnesses were Cisco and Ralph with you gone. And iris simply had a better lawyer than us, so she got custody of Nora,” Cecile said sadly.

 

“No wonder Nora’s the way she is if Iris became as filled with hate as she was,” Barry noted sadly and Cecile nodded.

 

“Is there anything else you want to know?” Cecile asked and Barry was quiet as he considered the question.

 

“Tell me about my daughter,” Barry said and Cecile knew he wasn’t talking about Nora.

 

“Her name is Allison. Allison Dawn Allen,” Cecile said and gave Barry a moment to digest the name.

 

“It’s a beautiful name,” Barry said with a slight smile.

 

“You thought so to when Caitlin decided on it,” Cecile said with a smile.  “Before you disappeared, you named Cisco her legal guardian because you knew that no one would love her more than him. You were right, Cisco treated her like his own daughter but he never made it any secret where she came from. She knew you and Caitlin were her parents. When she was nine, Cisco got a job offer in Coast City. He, his wife, and Allison moved there but he made sure Joe and I were kept in the loop, we face timed every week and Allison would come stay with us one month every summer.

 

“She was her mother’s daughter, she went into medicine, became a doctor. You and Caitlin would have been so proud of her,” Cecile stood up and grabbed a picture of a table, walking back over and handing it to him. “That’s the four of us at her high school graduation.”

 

Barry stared down at the picture, staring at the girl between an older Cisco, Joe and Cecile with a mix of emotions. She looked so much like Caitlin, but he could see bits of him in her as well.

 

“She’s beautiful,” Barry said as he handed the picture back to Cecile. “I wish we could have been there to watch her grow up.”

 

“Me to,” Cecile said as she put the photo back. “But she always knew that it wasn’t your fault. Cisco, Joe and I always made sure she knew how much you and Caitlin loved her.”

 

“I’m glad. No child should ever have to wonder if their parents love them or not,” Barry said sadly before frowning. “There’s still one thing I can’t figure out.”

 

“What’s that?” Cecile asked.

 

“Ralph and Sherloque-the Wells we’ve been working with-think Nora is working with someone. Do you have any idea who?” Barry asked and Cecile frowned.

 

“I’m afraid I have no idea, I’m sorry Barry. But I know you guys, you always work the problem. You’ll be able to figure it out, if you work together,” Cecile said and Barry smiled slightly.

 

“Thanks for all your help. I know telling me all this couldn’t have been easy,” Barry said as he got to his feet.

 

“I’m sure it was harder for you to hear. I’m sorry,” Cecile said compassionately.

 

“I’m sorry for all the loss you’ve had to go through,” Barry said but Cecile waved him off.

 

“Hush now; I’ve lived a long life. I had two beautiful daughters, two great loves, and a house full of grandkids. I have no regrets about how I lived my life. I just wish you and Caitlin had gotten to live yours,” Cecile said wistfully and Barry nodded.

 

“I need to go. Nora still owes me some answers,” Barry said and Cecile nodded.

 

“Of course. But, since I won’t see you again, can I give you some advice?” Cecile asked and Barry raised an eyebrow but nodded. “If you only have a few years left, live your life to the fullest. Don’t have any regrets when you disappear. Be who you want to be, do what you want, and most importantly, do it with who you want to do it with. Whether that is Iris or Caitlin or someone else, do it with them. Because sometimes, you only have a certain amount of time. Don’t waste a single second of it, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Barry said with a thoughtful look on his face. “That’s good advice.”

 

“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice,” Cecile said with a smile.

 

Star Labs, 2019

Night

 

“No,” Ralph said, refusing to budge.

 

“I just want to talk to her,” Iris insisted.

 

“Barry said no one do anything stupid. I think going down to talk, if you’re being truthful, that is, to our prisoner is stupid,” Ralph said, crossing his arms. “You’re gonna have to go through me.”

 

“Guys, help me out,” iris looked pleadingly at the others.

 

Cisco and Caitlin crossed their arms, showing they had no intention of helping. Cecile and Joe looked unsure but unwilling to get involved. Sherloque simply raised an eyebrow, silently asking ‘Why are you looking at me for help’. This was the scene Barry returned to.

 

“What’s going on?” Barry asked as he entered the cortex, eying them all oddly.

 

“Iris was trying to disobey you. I intervened,” Ralph said and Barry nodded, eying Iris with a look none of them could understand.

 

“So Bar, did you find out who Nora is working with?” Joe asked and Barry sighed.

 

“No,” Barry said to their disappointment. “But I know why she tried to kill Clarence.”

 

“Why?” Caitlin asked and Barry looked at her with a look that none of them could figure out.

 

“Barry?” Cisco asked and Barry snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

 

“Look, this isn’t going to be very easy for me to say. So please…don’t interrupt until I’m done,” Barry sighed, wondering how he could possibly tell them what Cecile had told him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone needs to put a face to a character, Allison would be played by Zoey Deutch if this was the show.


	12. Deception revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry, Caitlin, and Iris all reel from the revelations of the future. The true extent of Nora's lies are unraveled.

Star Labs  
Night

You could hear a pin drop once Barry had finished explaining everything. In another situation, Barry would have found the looks of shock and disbelief on their faces comical. But Barry was in no laughing mood and he doubted very much that they were either.

“So…let me get this straight,” Ralph said, trying to wrap his head around everything. “In 2021, you and Caitlin get whammied by Clarence. You two go rouge, sleep together, and Caitlin gets pregnant. Iris goes crazy, you leave her and Caitlin moves in with you for non-romantic reasons towards the end of the pregnancy. Iris goes crazier, poisons Caitlin in order to kill her and the baby. The baby survives, Caitlin doesn’t, and when we find out, you basically banish Iris from Central City?”

“That’s pretty simplified, but yeah,” Barry said wearily.

Iris had a hand to her mouth, looking like she was about to be physically ill. But, for once, Barry felt no urge to go to her. How could he when every time he looked at her, all he saw was Caitlin dying?

Speaking of, Caitlin looked like she was having a hard time processing this as well. Although Barry wasn’t sure if she was having trouble with the fact Iris killed her, she and Barry had had an affair, or they had a daughter in the future. Possibly all of the above.

Suddenly overwhelmed, Barry turned and stalked out of the room, drawing everyone to his departure. Some of them wanted to call after him, but they weren’t sure what to say in this moment. Caitlin looked over at Cisco, who looked torn between going after Barry and staying there. 

‘Go’, she mouthed at him when he looked over at her.

Cisco nodded before walking out after Barry.

He found Barry in the longue, on the balcony, looking out over the city. Cisco walked up next to him, not saying anything for a moment.

“I’d ask if you were okay, but I don’t see how you could be,” Cisco said as he looked over at Barry. “How are you holding up?”

“Honestly, I don’t know man,” Barry sighed. “For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I’m not sure what that is anymore. Iris, she killed Caitlin. And now every time I look at her…all I can see is her standing over Caitlin as she dies.”

“I’m not defending her, because there is no defense for that. But…you realize she hasn’t done that right? If Terminator taught us anything, it’s you can’t hold something against someone when they haven’t even done it yet,” Cisco pointed out, not sure why he was even trying to encourage Barry to…he wasn’t even sure what he was doing.

“But now I know she’s capable of being so filled with hate that she’d do something so twisted and…evil. And god, I hate using that word to describe her but no other word fits,” Barry said with a humorless laugh as he put his head in his hands. “I don’t know how to get passed this Cisco. And I’m not sure I want to.”

Caitlin, meanwhile, was in the med bay, going over somethings to try and get her mind off what she had learned when Ralph walked in.

“Hey. You okay?” Ralph asked as lingered in the doorway.

“Would you believe me if I said I was fine?” Caitlin asked dryly and Ralph shot her a look. “Didn’t think so.”

“I don’t think anyone would be okay after that,” Ralph said as he walked in. “How are you holding up?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s not every day you find out you sleep with your best friend, get pregnant with his baby, and then are poisoned by his jealous wife,” Caitlin pointed out.

“Well, which part of it is bothering you the most?” Ralph inquired and Caitlin was quiet as she considered.

“I wouldn’t say bothering me but…in the future, Barry and I have a kid,” Caitlin said her mind blown from that fact. “You know about my mother.”

“Oh trust me, that’s a woman you don’t forget meeting,” Ralph said dryly and Caitlin laughed.

“After my dad ‘died’, she just…she got so cold. I could never picture myself as a mother. Even with Ronnie, I was…scared to have kids, because I didn’t want to turn out like my mother,” Caitlin said softly and Ralph nodded in understanding.

“I know what you mean,” Ralph said and she looked over at him. “I’ve always been afraid of one day becoming a dad because mine walked out on me. But, for what it’s worth…I think you’d be a great mom.”

“Thank you,” Caitlin said with a grateful smile.

“Look, as much as I’m enjoying this conversation, I don’t think I’m the one you should be having it with,” Ralph said with a pointed look and Caitlin sighed, knowing he was right.

In the cortex, Iris is at the computers, staring at the feed at Nora’s cell as her thoughts were consumed with what Barry had told them. Her emotions were all over the place: She was shocked and horrified that she’d killed Caitlin, ashamed she’d tried to kill a baby and, she could admit this was petty, angry that Barry and Caitlin had not only had an affair, but had a daughter together. She was supposed to be the only one to have Barry’s children. And it made her feel even worse to be thinking those kinds of thoughts after what she’d done in the future.

Joe and Cecile lingered in the doorway, staring at Iris. Neither of them were entirely sure how to react to the situation. So instead, they just left everyone to handle it themselves.

On the balcony, Barry and Cisco were simply staring out at the city when they heard someone approach them from behind. The pair turned around to see Caitlin.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” Barry asked and she smiled tightly.

“I think about as well as you,” Caitlin said as she looked over at Cisco. “Can I talk to Barry for a moment?”

“Right. I’ll just…go talk to Ralph or something,” Cisco said awkwardly before walking off.

“A lot to wrap your head around, isn’t it?” Barry asked once they were alone.

“What, that Iris killed me or we have a daughter together?” Caitlin asked dryly before her gaze softened. “Did you…see her?”

“Cecile showed me a picture,” Barry said with a faraway look in his eyes. “She was beautiful. She looked like you.”

Caitlin nodded, a hint of longing and jealousy entering her eyes. It was silent between them for a moment, not uncomfortable, but neither of them knew what to say after that.

“I’m sorry…for what happened to you in the future,” Barry said and she looked at him confused. “It was my fault.”

“Barry, from the sounds of it, I was more than willing,” Caitlin said, trying to comfort him while ignoring the awkwardness of the situation.

“Maybe, but it cost you your life. And I set in motion the events that led to your death,” Barry said filled with shame. “I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“Hey,” Caitlin walked over, putting a hand to the side of his face. “Do you feel that? That’s me, I’m still here. You don’t need to feel guilty for something that hasn’t even happened yet, okay?”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Barry hugged her, burying his face in her shoulder as his shook with sobs. Caitlin said nothing as she hugged him back, allowing him to let it all out.

A short while later, everyone was in the cortex except for Barry and Caitlin. The only thing that bothered Iris more than that fact was the way everyone was looking at her, like she going to go berserk and track them down. Even her father was looking at her a little wearily. It hurt, but given what her future self had done, Iris couldn’t exactly say it wasn’t unwarranted. 

Everyone looked up as Barry and Caitlin entered the cortex. Barry looked like he’d been crying, but otherwise, they looked okay.

“Caitlin,” everyone tensed as Iris got to her feet, looking at the other woman. “What I did…I…”

“It’s okay,” Caitlin said to the shock of everyone. “Well, not okay, but like I just got done telling Barry, you haven’t done anything yet. Don’t feel guilty for something that hasn’t happened yet.”

Everyone stared at Caitlin in complete astonishment, marveling at Caitlin’s capacity to forgive something so horrible. Iris caught sight of Barry’s look of reverence as he looked at Caitlin and her heart sank slightly. But she pushed t down, determined not to go down the road of her future self.

“Barry, I-”

“We need to focus,” Barry cut Iris off, not wanting to deal with it right now. “There are still a lot of unanswered questions.”

Iris’ heart sank, understanding that he was pushing her away. But she knew he was right. There was still the matter of Nora to deal with, after all.

“We know why Nora tried to kill Clarence. What other question do we need answered?” Iris inquired.

“We still don’t know who she’s working with,” Cisco pointed out.

“Until we know that, we don’t know if Nora’s a threat or not. Until we do, she stays in the pipeline,” Barry ordered.

“Well, maybe if we put together what we know, it might give us an idea?” Ralph suggested.

“What we know isn’t much,” Joe pointed out.

“But more than you think, detective,” Sherloque said and they all looked over at him. “Whoever Nora is working with, very strategic thinker. They knew exact moment to have Nora intervene and insert herself into your lives. Subtle manipulations of the timeline and measures taken to throw me off her trail until I was forced to recruit Mr. Dibny. But the most import clue, they knew exactly what buttons to push, shall we say. Exactly how to draw you in. Whoever it is, they know you. Either have studied you or they know you.”

“Or both,” Barry said pale.

Everyone looked at him, noting he looked like he’d seen a ghost. Before they could say anything, he disappeared in a blur.

Nora was in her cell, on her knees when the metal shelling lifted up. Nora looked up, seeing her father on the side. As she got to her feet, she noticed something was off. He looked furious.

“Allison,” Barry said and she stiffened. “That’s why you came back.”

“She should never have been born,” Nora sneered and Barry was disturbed by the hatred he felt from her. “She tore my family apart, our family apart.”

“Your mother did that when she murdered Caitlin,” Barry said coolly.

“How do you know all this?” Nora demanded.

“I went to the future. Cecile, she told me everything. But there’s still one thing I can’t figure out. Ralph and Sherloque think you’re working with someone. Who?” Barry demanded and Nora studied him for a moment.

“You already know, don’t you?” Nora realized and Barry scowled.

“I want to hear it from you. Go ahead Nora, say his name,” Barry demanded and Nora hesitated. “Say it!”

“Thawne. Eobard Thawne. The Reverse Flash.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you were probably disappointed that Barry didn’t find out about Thawne last chapter, well, that was so he could find out here. Hope you enjoyed it.


	13. Barry's decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Team Flash processes the fact that Nora is working with Thawne, Barry makes a decision that puts him at odds with Iris.

Star Labs  
Morning

Barry held his head in his hands, trying to ignore the arguing going on around him. It wasn’t easy.

“She’s been lying to us, about everything! Since the first day she showed up here! About Thawne of all people!” Cisco said angrily.

“I’m not saying you’re wrong, but maybe Nora had a good reason,” Iris insisted.

“We know the reason she came back! She came back to stop Barry and Caitlin from getting hit by Clarence!” Cisco snapped. “She knows what he did to us, to Barry and his parents! And she’s still working with him! Honestly, how the hell can you not be upset about this!? It’s like you don’t even care!”

“I just don’t think we should judge her until we know all the facts,” Iris said.

“We know all the facts we need to,” Barry said gruffly, getting to his feet as they all turned to him. “Nora lied to us, manipulated us. And even after she knew what Thawne did to me, to my parents, to everyone in this room…she kept going back to him. She came back here to erase another person from existence. We can’t trust Nora. I won’t put this team at risk, not like I did with Zoom. Nora’s going back to the future, tonight.”

Barry then walked out, leaving all of them staring after him. After a moment, Iris raced after him. Before anyone could say thing, Caitlin’s hair and eye color changed as Killer Frost took control.

“Look, your precious Iris is clearly losing it. Deal with that. Before I deal with it for you. No way in hell is she coming after Caity and me this time around,” Killer Frost snarled as she stormed out in the opposite direction as Barry and Iris.

“Barry!” Iris shouted as she raced after her husband. 

“I don’t wanna talk right now Iris,” Barry said gruffly.

“Well we need to. How could you make this decision without talking to me?” Iris demanded angrily.

“Because I didn’t need to,” Barry said as he turned around to face her. “We can’t trust Nora, so I’m sending her back. End of discussion.”

“When was there ever a discussion? This is a decision we should have come to together,” Iris said angrily.

“No, it isn’t Iris! This isn’t a parenting decision, this is a leadership position! I don’t need to consult you when I make these kinds of decisions! You’re my wife, not my boss. If you can’t see where we end and I begin…I don’t know Iris, I just don’t know,” Barry told her tiredly before speeding out. 

Star City  
Same time

Oliver Queen was on the couch in his apartment that he shared with his wife. Oliver was trying to deal with the fact he’d sent his son to live with his grandparents when his cell phone rang. Digging it out, he saw Barry Allen’s face flashing across the screen and answered it.

“Barry?”

“Hey, is now a bad time?” Barry asked and Oliver could immediately tell there was something wrong with his friend.

“No. What’s up?” Oliver inquired and Barry sighed.

“Can we meet up? I could really use your advice right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short, but I didn’t know how to break the next scene without the chapter feeling rushed and clunky.


	14. Thawne's endgame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry seeks advice from Oliver as Iris struggles with Barry's decision.

Star City

Late morning

 

Oliver and Barry across from each other in a café, Oliver staring at Barry after Barry had finished explaining everything.

 

Could you please not look at me like that?” Barry asked awkwardly and Oliver snapped out of his trance.

 

“Sorry, trying to figure out what to say. This is…I don’t even know what to call this,” Oliver admitted.

 

“It’s a mess is what it is,” Barry sighed. “Iris…she killed Caitlin. My wife killed my best friend. I don’t know how to deal with that Oliver.”

 

“Barry…you know that hasn’t happened yet. Maybe it never will,” Oliver said gently.

 

“But now I know! Now I know that Iris is capable of doing something so heartless and evil to my best friend. That she is capable of hating an innocent child for nothing more than being born to the point she’d try and kill it,” Barry said gruffly. “I don’t know how to get passed that. Every time I look at Iris, all I see is her standing over at Caitlin as Caitlin begs for help…and Iris doing nothing. How do I deal with that Ollie?”

 

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Oliver said after a moment of thought. “In your shoes, I’m not sure I could either. I’m sorry Barry.”

 

“Me to,” Barry said as he leaned back in his seat and it was silent for a moment.

 

“Barry, can I ask you something? Oliver asked and Barry shrugged. “You say you don’t know to get passed this. Do you want to?”

 

“What?” Barry asked confused.

 

“Do you want to find a way to get passed this? Yes or no,” Oliver asked and Barry was silent as he considered Oliver’s question.

 

“I don’t know,” Barry finally admitted.

 

“You know,” Oliver said certainly and Barry looked up at him. “You just can’t admit it to yourself. Because admitting that…would mean admitting that you and Iris have no future.”

 

Star Labs

Afternoon

 

Iris stared down at the video feed of Nora in her cell, lost in thought. Joe walked in, lingering in the doorway before walking over.

 

“You okay?” Joe asked.

 

“Honestly, I don’t know. I just…I don’ think we should be sending Nora back. You agree with me, right?” Iris asked as she looked over at her father hopefully.

 

“Iris…I think Barry’s right,” Joe said gently and Iris’ face fell. “Nora, she lied to us, she manipulated us. She came back to erase her sister from existence. And all that when she was working with Thawne, knowing what he did to Barry…we can’t trust her Iris, I’m sorry.”

 

“But-” Iris began.                       

 

“Iris, you’re thinking of this as a parent, which I get. There have been times that I’ve had to wrestle with being a dad and being a cop, especially over the last four years. You need to stop looking at this as a parent and start looking at it as a reporter. Because if this was anyone but Nora, you’d be behind Barry all the way,” Joe pointed out.

 

Iris winced, knowing he was right. Joe then got up and walking out, leaving Iris alone with her thoughts.

 

Barry had returned to Star Labs, walking over to the speed lab as his conversation with Oliver replayed in his head over and over again. He sat down, deep in thought. This was how Cisco and Caitlin found him.

 

“Hey, where’d you go?” Cisco asked as they walked in.

 

“Star City. I went to see Oliver,” Barry said, running a hand over his face. “I needed some advice.”

 

“He give you some?” Cisco asked and Barry nodded.

 

“Did it help?” Caitlin asked gently and Barry shrugged.

 

“Only time will tell,” Barry said vaguely.

 

“We’ve had Ralph standing guard over Nora’s cell, just in case Iris tried anything,” Cisco said and Barry nodded.

 

“Thanks for having my back,” Barry said, looking over at his two best friends gratefully.

 

“Always have, always will,” Cisco said.

 

“What are friends for?” Caitlin said simply and Barry’s lips twitched.

 

As he looked at Caitlin, Barry couldn’t help but remember something Oliver had said to him earlier.

 

_Star City_

_Earlier_

_“What bothers you more, that Caitlin is dead or that Iris killed her?” Oliver inquired and Barry looked confused._

_“Why does it matter? She’s dead and Iris killed her,” Barry said in a pained voice._

_“It matters because of how you feel,” Oliver said, confusing Barry even more. “When this Meta hit you with his powers in the future, you didn’t do anything you didn’t want to do. You were just stripped of your inhibitions. Clearly, from what Cecile said, you were falling in love with Caitlin in the future. I don’t know Caitlin as well as I know you, but I see the way she looks at you sometimes. She’s got feelings for you Barry. She may not be able to admit those feelings, but she does. And I think you have feelings for her to,” Oliver pointed out._

_“Caitlin…I’ve only ever thought of her as a friend,” Barry said after a moment._

_“For a long time, Laurel Lance was just a friend,” Oliver said after a beat. “Then, one night, at our high school prom, she walked in wearing this black dress. I could never picture her as just a friend again. And yeah, you and Caitlin aren’t me and Laurel, which is a good thing. I guess what I’m saying is…did you never picture her as more than just a friend because you don’t feel anything more for her or because you didn’t know Caitlin was an option?”_

_Barry didn’t answer. He knew the answer. He just thinks it’s the wrong one._

Star Labs

Now

 

Nora looked up as the metal shelling to her cell lifted up. Her father stood on the other side, an unreadable expression on his face. He pushed a button as, to Nora’s shock, the door to her cell opened up.

 

“You’re free to go,” Barry said simply.

 

“Really?” Nora asked hopefully as she walked out.

 

“Really,” Barry said coolly and Nora noticed he wasn’t acting like he was happy he let her out. “I don’t want to leave you locked up Nora. But I can’t trust you. I especially can’t trust that, if you think it will save our family, you won’t try to kill Caitlin. You’ve already proved that you’re a killer. I won’t put her life, the lives of everyone I care about, at risk like that. It’s time for you to go home.”

 

Before Nora could respond, Barry grabbed her by the wrist and sped out of the pipeline.

 

Central City, 2049

 

A portal opened up and Barry and Nora emerged, the portal closing behind them.

 

“Dad, please don’t do this!” Nora pleaded as Barry let her wrist go.

 

“If you try to come back again, I will feel it through the Speed Force. I will know Nora. And I will stop you,” Barry told her coolly.

 

“Dad please!” Nora cried but it was too late.

 

Barry sped off, leaving Nora on the streets. All alone.

 

Iron Heights

Not long after

 

Thawne was in his cell, lying on the cot. Then, his hair stood on end as he felt it. Thawne smirked, pushing himself off the cot.

 

“So, did she finally come clean or did you figure it out all on your own?” Thawne inquired as he stared at Barry standing outside his cell.

 

“You’ve been helping Nora all this time. Why?” Barry demanded.      

 

“Is it too much to hope you’ll believe me when I say I’m trying to make up for my sins?” Thawne asked and Barry laughed humorlessly.

 

“I know you better than that Thawne. You never do anything that doesn’t help you. Especially when it involves me. You live to see me suffer. So why do all this? Tell me!” Barry snapped.

 

“Because you’re smart Barry. You’re not as stupid as you like people to believe. I knew once it was all laid out, you’d figure it all out. You’d come to the future and you’d learn the whole, awful truth. You’d find out what your precious Iris did to Caitlin,” Thawne sneered as he walked over to the cell door so and Barry stood face to face, separated only by glass. “And learning what she did, that she wasn’t this perfect flower you’ve held her up as for so long, that she was in fact someone capable of cold blooded murder? Well, that would destroy you.”

 

Snarling in rage, Barry phased into the cell and slugged Thawne. The next few seconds were a blur of movement as Barry attacked Thawne viciously, unleashing all his rage on the man who had ruined his life. Then, Barry slammed Thawne against the wall, taking great satisfaction as he saw the blood dripping down Thawne’s chin.

 

“You’re getting everything you deserve. You’ll never hurt anyone ever again,” Barry snarled before he let Thawne go and sped out of the cell and the prison, returning to his own time.

 

Once he was gone, Thawne smirked, opening his palm, which sparkled with electricity, siphoned from Barry’s little assault. Knowing he didn’t have much time, Thawne vibrated his body and phased the collar that was around his neck, blocking his powers, off of him. As it fell to the floor, Thawne’s eyes flashed with the power of the Negative Speed Force. Vibrating his hand, he cut the collar in half, destroying it.

 

“We’ll see about that Barry,” Thawne said with a smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Thawne’s plan has finally been revealed. His plan was to make Barry so angry he’d come to Iron Heights, comfort him, and get so mad he’d attack Thawne. Let’s just say Thawne has some device on his person that allowed him to siphon off enough Speed Force energy to phase off the Meta collar. Because that’s what was keeping Thawne in prison here, not Cicada’s dagger, which was so stupid.


	15. The promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry comes to a decision about his and iris as, in 2049, Thawne begins his rampage.

Iron Heights Prison, 2049

Night

 

“He’s coming right at us!” One of the guards shouted in panic as the group had their weapons trained on the threat.

 

“Shoot to kill; you’ll die if you don’t!” The leader of the guards shouted.

 

They opened fire on the blur headed towards them and stopped once it seemed to disappear. They looked around, the pounding of their hearts in their ear. Then, the blur sped back over and they screamed as, one by one, they were all killed. As the bodies fell to the ground, Thawne looked around with a sadistic smirk.

 

Star Labs, 2019

Morning

 

Barry was in Cisco’s workshop, staring at a picture of the original Team Flash. Him, Cisco, Caitlin, and Wells. Back before they knew who he really was…what he really was.

 

Iris walked in, lingering in the doorway. She saw the photo he was looking at and sighed internally, knowing he was thinking about Thawne.

 

“Barry,” Iris said and stopped, as he stiffened at the sound of her voice.

 

“I don’t wanna talk Iris,” Barry said with a sharp edge to his voice.

 

“Well we need to. You didn’t come home last night,” Iris told him.

 

“It doesn’t feel like home anymore. It feels…suffocating,” Barry said and Iris was stunned and hurt.

 

“Well where does feel like home to you then?” Iris demanded, hurt giving way to anger.

 

“Here. Here feels like home,” Barry said with a faraway look in his eyes. “Cisco working on his latest project, Caitlin getting annoyed by Ralph as she looks over the latest medical report on us, the four of us, working together…that is what feels like home. It took me so long to realize what was really important. I’m not sure how I could’ve ever lost sign of it.”

 

“So you’re saying that what, they’re your home now? Where does that leave us?” Iris demanded and Barry was silent for several long moments.

 

“I went to see Oliver yesterday, I told him everything. He asked me something. I told him I didn’t know if we could get passed this. He asked me if I wanted to get passed it. The truth is…I don’t,” Barry said and Iris was too stunned for words. “I don’t want to work through this Iris; I don’t want to get passed it. Because staying with you, trying to get passed this…that would mean I forgive her.”

 

“Forgive who? Nora?” Iris asked but Barry shook his head.

 

“No, you,” Barry said, to Iris’ confusion. “The future you, the one who murdered Caitlin. Trying again with you would mean I forgave her for what she did. And what kind of person would that make me?”

 

“Someone who’s forgiving,” Iris said desperately but Barry shook his head.

 

“No. It would make me selfish; it would make me someone who doesn’t care about his friends. I will never forgive her…forgive you for what she did to Caitlin and what she tried to do to my daughter,” Barry said as he looked over at Iris.

 

“She doesn’t even exist yet!” Iris cried out, desperately trying to hold onto him.

 

“For me she does. The moment I saw that picture of her, this… indescribable feeling came over me. It was love. I understand now why I was so reluctant to keep Nora here at first. It’s not because I wanted to experience all those firsts, it’s because, deep down…I knew this wasn’t going to work,” Barry said and tears streamed down as Iris’ face as she knew he wasn’t going to stay, no matter what she said. “Face it Iris, we just…we don’t work. You don’t respect me as an equal.”

 

“Barry, of course I do!” Iris protested and Barry smiled sadly.

 

“It’s almost charming that you think that. You don’t Iris. If I have an opinion you disagree with, you talk over the top of me until I back you. I go along with it, because I thought that’s what love was. But…it was never like that with Linda or Patty. It’s not like that with Joe and Cecile either. This isn’t love Iris, I don’t know what it is…but I don’t want any part of it,” Barry said tiredly as Iris stared at him, tears gushing down her face. “It’s over Iris. I’ll be by for my things later.”

 

Barry then walked out of the room, leaving Iris staring after him, wondering what had just happened.

 

The Flash Museum, 2049

Night

 

A night guard was on duty, making his rounds when he heard something. He reached for his gun as he headed towards the source. A man was standing in front of the Reverse Flash display.

 

“Hey, visiting hours are over buddy,” the guard said as he trained his gun on the man. “Hands where I can see them.”

 

“You can’t stop what’s about to happen. No one can,” Thawne said as he looked towards the guard.

 

Thawne suddenly sped towards him and the next thing the guard knew, Thawne had his gun.

 

“So primitive,” Thawne said distastefully, tossing the gun across the room as the guard backed up in fear. “For twenty five, long years, I have been trapped here. Waiting for the right moment. Well, that moment is now.”

 

Thawne then plunged his vibrating hand through the guard’s chest, shredding his heart into pieces. Thawne removed his hand and the guard fell back, dead, as Thawne made his way back to the display. Thawne took the ring containing his suit and smirked. It was time for him to fulfil a promise.

 

Coast City

Same time

 

Cisco Ramon was getting ready for bed when his phone rang. Picking it up, he saw it was Cecile and answered.

 

“Cecile?” Cisco answered, confused about why she would be calling him at this time of night as Cecile’s face, panicked and horrified, appeared in a small, holographic scream in front of him.

 

“He’s out! He got out!” Cecile said in a frantic voice and Cisco was confused and concerned.

 

“Cecile, calm down. Tell me what happened,” Cisco told her and Cecile took a breath.

 

“You know that Thawne’s execution is coming up,” Cecile said and Cisco nodded. “Well, I had the warden keep me updated. Thawne escaped over an hour ago Cisco.”

 

“What?! How is that possible?!” Cisco exclaimed shocked.

 

“I don’t know! Somehow, he was able to phase the dampening collar off his neck. Cisco, you know what he’s going to do,” Cecile said frantically and Cisco paled as he remembered the last time he had seen Thawne.

 

_Iron Heights Prison, 2024_

_Morning_

_Thawne looked up from his cell, watching as his visitor arrived. He smirked with glee as he saw who it was._

_“Cisco. It’s good to see you again,” Thawne greeted warmly as Cisco glared at him with hate._

_“Was it worth it, huh? All the pain and suffering you caused us? All that time and planning and you lost anyway. Was it worth it?!” Cisco shouted angrily._

_“Did I really lose?” Thawne asked with a smirk. “Barry, he’s gone.”_

_“Don’t you say his name!” Cisco snarled as he stalked over to the glass separating them. “He is a million times the person you will ever be!”_

_“And yet in the end, he lost. He’s gone, disappeared and he will never return,” Thawne egged on and Cisco sneered at him. “I was sorry to hear about Caitlin.”_

_“Don’t talk about her either!” Cisco sneered, trembling with rage._

_“I hear she and Barry have a daughter. Allison was it?” Thawne said._

_“You shut up!” Cisco roared, banging his hand on the glass._

_“If I ever get out of here, I will find her. I will find her and make her suffer, just as I made her father suffer. The sins of the father are the sins of the daughter,” Thawne promised._

_“You will never get out of here. Allison will never know you. You’re going to spend the rest of your life in here, you son of a bitch,” Cisco snarled before he turned and stormed out, leaving Thawne smirking in his cell._

Coast City

Same time

 

Allison Dawn Allen, known simply as Allison to most, was getting ready to go home after a long day of work.

 

“Allison,” a voice spoke up.

 

She jumped up, looking over her shoulder. A man older than her Uncle Cisco was standing in the doorway. He had graying dark brown hair and cold eyes. And, for some reason, Allison’s hair stood on end.

 

“Can I help you? I’m sorry, but my shift just ended,” Allison apologized.

 

“You look so much like your mother,” Thawne said as he saw her and Allison was taken back.

 

“You knew my mom?” Allison asked confused and was unnerved by the smirk that crossed his face.

 

“Indeed I did. In many ways, she showed me what it was like to have a daughter,” Thawne said as he walked into the room.

 

Allison was getting more and more creeped out by the second. She had never been more relieved to hear her phone ring.

 

“Sorry, excuse me for a second,” Allison said as she answered it, Cisco’s face appearing on the holographic screen that appeared. “Hi Uncle Cisco. I thought you’d be in bed by now?”

 

“Allison, you need to head home, now,” Cisco warned her and Cisco’s unusually serious tone unnerved Allison. “I’ll meet you there, but you need to go, now. Please Allison, just listen to me.”

 

Before Allison could respond, Thawne sped across the room and threw her across the floor. Allison hit her head, dazed as she heard Cisco’s voice calling for her. Thawne sped over and kicked her in the face, hard, knocking her out.

 

“Allison, Allison?!” Cisco cried out terrified.

 

Thawne walked over to the phone and picked it up. Cisco paled as he saw Thawne.

 

“I told you Cisco, I would make her suffer. And I keep my promises,” Thawne told him coolly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, some of you wanted to know if Allison would be appearing. You got your answer.


	16. Setting the board

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco and Cecile begin putting together Thawne's plan as, in the past, Barry has an epiphany about Caitlin.

Iron Heights Prison, 2049  
Night

“How could Thawne have escaped?” Cecile demanded as she stood in the warden’s office.

“Well, that’s the interesting bit Cecile. Let me show you security footage from outside his cell a minute before he escaped,” the warden told her.

A holographic screen appeared in front of him. Cecile stared, shocked, as she saw Barry standing in front of Thawne’s cell. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Barry was obviously angry. Thawne said something and Barry seemed to snap. He phased through the cell, and while Cecile could only see blurs of movement from the camera, she knew Barry was attacking Thawne. The next image was of Barry was leaving the cell and disappearing in a blur of movement. Several seconds passed before Thawne emerged from his cell, a sadistic grin on his face. 

“I ran his face through the database. Barry Allen,” the warden said as the holographic screen disappeared. “CSI from Central City who disappeared in the crisis of ‘24. He was also your husband’s former foster son and former son in law. You knew him quite well it seems. Do you know why he would be visiting Thawne?”

As the question presented itself, Cecile remembered Barry asking her who Nora could be working with. It clicked for her in that moment.

“I have to go,” Cecile said in a hurry before rushing out. 

She ignored the warden’s calls as she dug out her phone, dialing Cisco’s number.

Coast City  
Same time

A breached opened up and Cisco stepped out, frantically looking around. Neither Thawne or Allison were there, but Cisco saw blood on the floor. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Allison’s. 

“Damn it!” Cisco shouted, hitting a cabinet with his hand. 

His phone rang and Cisco pulled it out glumly. Seeing it was Cecile, Cisco answered it.

“I was too late Cecile. He got Allison,” Cisco said brokenly as her face appeared.

“Feel sorry for yourself later. I know how Thawne escaped. More importantly, I think I know someone who could lead us to Thawne.”

West-Allen loft  
Not long after

“Where have you been?” Iris demanded as Nora sat glumly at the kitchen table.

“Nowhere,” Nora grumbled.

“Well you were obviously somewhere. I didn’t know where you were for twenty four hours Nora. I,” Iris paused as someone started banging incessantly on the front door. “This conversation isn’t over.”

Iris made her to the front door and looked through the peak hole. Frowning, she opened it up to reveal Cisco and his wife on the other wise.

“Where is she? Where is Nora?” Cisco demanded in a deathly calm.

“Cisco, what are you doing here?” Iris asked shocked and Cisco growled.

“Never mind, I’ll find her myself,” Cisco snapped, brushing passed Iris and entering the loft.

“Hey, you can’t just,” Iris started but stopped as a golden gun was aimed at her head.

“Do not test us,” Lisa Snart-Ramon sneered.

“Nora!” Cisco shouted and the girl in question stood up and walked into view. “Where is she!?”

“Who?” Nora asked confused.

“Allison! Where’d your buddy Thawne take her?!” Cisco snarled and Nora was stunned and confused.

“What are you talking about?” Iris interjected.

“So you didn’t tell Mommy dearest?” Lisa asked sarcastically and Nora didn’t say anything.

“Tell me what?” Iris demanded.

“Apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Cisco said sarcastically causing Iris to glare at him. “Nora has been working with Thawne. She went back in time to 2019 and has been living there with our younger selves for the last several months to stop John Clarence before he could use his powers on Barry and Cait.”

“What?” Iris asked staring shocked at her daughter.

“Only she tried to kill Clarence because sending him to Iron Heights apparently wasn’t good enough. Barry traveled to our time, got the whole twisted story from Cecile, found out what you did,” Cisco said and Iris paled. “Barry must have also figured out she was working with Thawne, because I’m guessing he brought her back her when he paid Thawne a visit. Thawne goaded Barry into attacking him, which somehow let Thawne escape. He took Allison. Now, I’m gonna ask you one more time. Where is she?”

“I don’t know, I swear,” Nora said, afraid at the look in Cisco’s eyes.

“I don’t believe you,” Cisco said, taking a step towards her.

“Don’t you touch my daughter,” Iris snapped.

“I’ll do what I have to in order to get Allison back. Where is she?!” Cisco snapped.

“I swear I don’t know. I didn’t anything about Thawne escaping, I thought he was just trying to help me,” Nora explained.

“Help you with what?” Lisa demanded.

“Stopping dad from disappearing,” Nora said and all three of them stared at her shocked. “Thawne told me the only reason he disappeared is because Caitlin wasn’t there in the crisis of ’24. If I could stop her and dad from getting affected by Clarence, if I could stop her from dying, he would never disappear.”

“…so not only did you take Caitlin from us, but Barry to,” Cisco said darkly as he turned his head to glare at the stunned Iris. “Good job Iris. Is there anyone’s life you haven’t wrecked?”

“We can assign blame later. We need to stop Thawne and save Allison,” Lisa reminded her husband and he nodded.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but even if all of us team up, we can’t stop Thawne,” Iris argued.

“Like I’d ever trust you again, or your daughter who’s working with Thawne,” Cisco sneered. “We may not be able to stop Thawne, but we all know someone who can.”

“And how do you plane to get him here?” Lisa asked as they caught on to what he was saying.

“The Time Sphere I made Thawne thirty four years ago. I fixed it up and put it in storage decades ago. It can get to Barry, he can take care of the rest,” Cisco said confidently.

“We still need to figure out where he has Allison,” Lisa pointed out.

“I already know where he is,” Cisco said and they all stared at him. “Once I stopped panicking, it was pretty obvious.”

Henry and Nora Allen’s former home  
Same time

“It’s rather fitting,” Thawne said, sitting on the couch as he stared at Allison, her hands tied as she glared at him. “I killed your grandmother just over there. And Zoom killed your grandfather just a few feet in front of you. And now, I’ll kill you here. This house doesn’t seem to offer the Allen family much luck.”

“Why are you doing this? What do you get out of this?” Allison demanded.

“What do I get? I get to make your father suffer. He and I, we’re trapped in a vicious cycle. For a very long time, I wanted to be him. But then I discovered that my destiny was to be his greatest enemy. Every story needs a villain Allison. And I am the villain of this one,” Thawne said with a sadistic smirk as he got to his feet. “I am going to crush your heart and lay your lifeless corpse in front of your father.”

“Then why not just kill me now?” Allison asked and Thawne smirked.

“You’re brave, like your mother. I want your father here to see it. And if I know Cisco, he’s already working a way to go back in time and get your father to come stop me. Then, once he is here, I will end you. It’s nothing personal Allison. To tell you the truth, I almost regret it,” Thawne said with a smirk as Allison stared up at him.

“No you don’t,” Allison said certainly and Thawne chuckled.

“Smart like Caitlin to,” Thawne acknowledged. 

Star Labs, 2019  
Late morning

Barry was in the time vault, looking at the news article of his disappearance. Barry stopped though as he saw the article flicker, like something else was about to appear, before it returned to what it had always been. Barry stared, perplexed as Caitlin walked in.

“Everything okay?” Caitlin asked as she saw him staring at the article.

“The article, it just…nothing,” Barry said finally, thinking he was going crazy.

“So, I hear you and Iris are not in a good place,” Caitlin said and Barry looked at her. “Ralph might have been eavesdropping on you two earlier.”

Barry could only laugh. Yeah, that sounded like Ralph. 

“Yeah. When I talked to Oliver, I had to confront the fact that my marriage…wasn’t one. Iris wasn’t who I thought she was. I loved her, but not her. I loved the Iris I had built up in my head, not the Iris she really was. I saw her for who I wanted her to be, not who she actually was. Once I admitted that…there really wasn’t a marriage left to save,” Barry admitted.

“I’m sorry Barry,” Caitlin said.

“I’m not,” Barry said, taking her back. “I wouldn’t, or maybe couldn’t, admit this until now, but being with Iris…I was suffocated, all the time. Now, I just…I feel fine. Maybe it makes me a bad person, but I won’t lose any sleep over this.”

“It doesn’t make you a bad person Barry. Better to end a doomed marriage than to continue a loveless one,” Caitlin said with a smile and was thrown by the look Barry gave her. “What?”

“Oliver, when I went to see him…we ended up talking about you and me,” Barry said and Caitlin was puzzled.

“What about you and me?” Caitlin asked and Barry hesitated. “Barry?”

“He told me, well, maybe not told me, but he helped me see that...maybe hearing that you and I have a daughter in the future is a sign,” Barry said, only confusing Caitlin more.

“A sign for what?” Caitlin asked and Barry chuckled.

“Sometimes, great possibilities are right in front of us and we don’t see them because we choose not to,” Barry said and Caitlin remembered when he said first that, over three years ago. “When I said that the first time, I thought I was talking about Patty. Maybe part of me was but….I’m starting to think I was really talking about you and me.”

“Barry,” Caitlin said as her heart fluttered, the room suddenly filled with tension. Not the bad kind but Caitlin couldn’t figure out if it was the good kind either.

“When I heard you had died, that Iris had killed you…I felt…I felt hollow inside,” Barry said softly as he walked over to her. “Maybe my fixation with Iris has been keeping me from seeing that…that I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. Maybe since shortly after I met you.”

Caitlin’s heart sang with joy as Barry put a hand to her face. They leaned in close but, before anything else could happen, they jumped apart as alarms blared.

“Guys, something’s happening in the pipeline,” Cisco’s voice came over the intercom.

Barry sped out of the room and into the pipeline. Barry stared as a portal, similar to what happened when he traveled through time, opened up. As Cisco, Ralph, and Frost joined him, Barry stared as something that looked like Thawne’s Time Sphere exited. The four of them stood tense, not moving as it landed several feet from them. It opened up and what looked like an older version of Cisco got out.

“Are you guys seeing this or am I hallucinating another version of me getting out?” Cisco asked stunned.

“No, we see it to,” Frost said as they all stared.

“Yes, I am Cisco from the future. And I need your help,” Future Cisco said grimly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, next chapter will be the big fight between Barry and Thawne and then probably an epilogue. I’ve really enjoyed writing this story; it’s become one of my favorites of mine along with Torn between two earths. So a little sad to see it end.


	17. Thawne's final battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Thawne have one final battle with Central City 2049 as the battle ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, until they return to separate timelines, to avoid confusion, young Cisco will be referred to as Vibe while future Cisco will be called Cisco.

Allen home, 2049  
Night

Allison watched, disgusted, as Thawne ate some Big Belly Burger.

“One of the few perks of being trapped in this time is that there are no cows where I come from,” Thawne said before taking another bite.

Allison scoffed before the front door suddenly burst open. Lisa burst in, firing her gun at Thawne. But Thawne easily sped out of the way as the couch was covered in golden sludge that seemed to eat the couch.

“Lisa Snart. Or is it Ramon now?” Thawne wondered, putting the last of his burger in his mouth as he chewed. “I suppose you should thank me.”

“Thank you? For kidnapping Allison?!” Lisa sneered.

“No, for your still being alive,” Thawne said and Lisa was stunned by this revelation. “You see, in the original timeline where I didn’t travel back to kill Barry, you died very early in your career as a thief. Without me, you’d be dead.”

“Cisco was right, you really are insane,” Lisa said before firing again. 

However, Thawne easily avoided the stream of golden acid and came up behind her. 

“Aunt Lisa!” Allison cried out but it was too late.

Thawne knocked the weapon out of Lisa’s hand and sent her to the Thawne grabbed her by her neck as he lifted his vibrating hand. 

“Say hi to your brother for me,” Thawne said coldly as he prepared to deliver the killing blow.

“No!”

Allison’s eyes and hair changed to snow white and the rope around her hands turned to ice. Thawne looked over his shoulder as she broke the ice around her hands and fired a blast of ice at him. Thawne sped out of the way, barely avoiding the icicle as it hit the wall he had been standing in front of moments earlier. Judging by the look of shock on Lisa’s face, Allison had never shown any sign of powers before.

“Aunt Lisa? What’s happening?” Allison asked, looking down at her hands as her eyes and hair flickered between white and their normal color.

“You truly are your mother’s daughter,” Thawne said as they looked over at him. “Your powers have been dormant until now. You just needed the right push.”

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind in the room. The air seemed to change as Thawne smirked.

“I knew you’d come,” Thawne said as he turned around.

Lisa and Allison followed his gaze and Allison froze. Her father stood in the doorway, dressed in his Flash suit. His gaze flickered over to her as her hair and eyes returned to normal. His eyes softened as he saw her for the first time.

“Dad?” Allison breathed.

“Well, isn’t this nice?” Thawne said and Barry tensed as he turned back to Thawne. “Father and daughter, truly meeting for the first time.”

“I figured it out Thawne, I figured everything out,” Barry said. “Why you sent Nora back in time, why you had her punch the Star Labs Satellite. To create a Cicada we could stop. To keep her there, long enough for me to put together she was working with you, for me to find out the whole twisted story about what Iris did. So I would confront you and you could goad me into attacking you. You had some device on you that siphoned my speed?”

“No on me, in me,” Thawne said with a smirk. “A much smaller version of the device your buddy Harry used to take away your speed when Zoom threatened his daughter, keyed to only take your speed. I had implanted it in my body before our last battle. It allowed me to bypass the power dampener just long enough to phase it off me. And you’re forgetting the most import part: Nora.”

“Nora?” Barry repeated confused.

“Yes. You see, when you traveled back to get my help to drain dark matter, when she blurted out Cicada in the time vault, I knew what I had to when, years later, she would show up after learning about her mother’s betrayal. Get her to trust me, just like I got you to trust me. It was so easy to, Iris left her vulnerable. Considering what’s happened, perhaps Iris, not me, is your greatest enemy,” Thawne said with a smirk, trying to get a rise out of Barry. 

But Barry didn’t take the bait.

“I should have killed you when I had the chance, when you invaded Central City with Dark Arrow,” Barry said angrily.

“But you didn’t. And everything that’s happened since then is on you,” Thawne sneered.

“You’re right, it is on me. No more. Let’s end this, once and for all,” Barry said with steely determination.

“Gladly,” Thawne said with a smirk.

Thawne raised his hand and his suit flew out of his ring. In a blur, Thawne put it on before speeding out of the house, Barry right behind him. They sped through the city, running up and down the sides of buildings before moving back onto the streets. The stopped in front of a building that Barry thought looked vaguely familiar. With a start, he realized it was the precinct.

“The department moved to a different location years ago,” Thawne said with a smirk. “No one here to stop us. Face it Barry, you’re all alone.”

“Am I?” Barry asked with a smirk of his own.

Thawne frowned, confused, before a portal opened up. Two identical Time Spheres emerge from the portal and landed not far from each other. Thawne’s shock turned to glee as Frost and Ralph emerge from one while Vibe and Cisco emerge from another.

“Well, isn’t this something? The original Team Flash, back together again. With a new guy,” Thawne said as he looked over at Ralph. “Ralph Dibny. You’re supposed to be dead.”

“So are you,” Ralph shot back and Thawne shrugged.

“Touché,” Thawne said before he looked over at Frost. “Frost.”

“I hear you’re trying to kill my daughter,” Frost said with a sharp edge to her voice as her eyes flashed.

“Yes. She’s just as beautiful and as much a force to be reckoned with as her mother,” Thawne complimented and Frost allowed herself a moment of vulnerability before her eyes hardened. 

“Don’t talk about her,” Frost sneered and Thawne smirked as he looked to Vibe.

“Cisco. It warms my heart to see you again. I want to apologize for,” Thawne made a gesture with his hand and it takes everything Vibe has not to jump. “But had I not done that, you would never have become extraordinary.”

“No. Everything I’ve become was in spite of you, not because of you,” Vibe said before he turned to his older counterpart. “Get out of here. We’ll take it from here.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” Cisco said as he got out of there, knowing he’d used his Vibes for the day.

“Well, isn’t this familiar. You’ve gathered your allies to take me down. But I assure you Barry, this won’t end like last time,” Thawne said.

“No. This time, I’m not taking prisoners,” Barry said coldly.

Thawne tried to run at them but Vibe opened a Breach. Thawne ran through it and, when the breach opened behind them, Frost hit Thawne with an ice blast. He was stalled by the pain as Barry sped over, tackling him back into the Breach. Ralph readied himself but, as Barry and Thawne emerged above, Thawne vibrated his body to warm himself up. Ralph prepared a punch but Thawne switched their positions so that he hit Barry instead. As Barry went down, Thawne sped over, slamming Ralph against a road sign, disorienting him.

“Did you really think it would be that easy? Did you!?” Thawne snarled, his voice changing as his eyes flashed red.

Vibe sent a Vibe Beam at Thawne but he sped out of the way, avoiding the beam as Frost sent multiple ice blasts at him. Thawne avoiding them all as he sped over, picking up Vibe.

“Sorry Cisco,” Thawne said without remorse before speeding around in a blur and, to everyone’s horror, threw Vibe.

Vibe went flying and Barry raced after him. Snarling in rage, Frost sent two powerful ice blasts at Thawne. Thawne dodged the blasts but Ralph stretched his arms around Thawne, trapping him.

“Now!” Ralph shouted.

With a nod, Frost sent an ice blast at Thawne. However, Thawne managed to phase out of Ralph’s arms and so the blast hit his arms instead. Ralph cried out in pain as Frost sent more blasts, attempting to hit the speedster.

In another part of town, Vibe screamed as he fell, sure he was about to meet his end. Then, Barry sped in, rotating his arms and creating two small cyclones. The cyclones stalled Vibe enough so that Barry could stop and catch him.

“Thanks,” Vibe said gratefully as Barry helped him to the ground.

“Thank me by helping me end this,” Barry said grimly.

Thawne knocked Ralph to the ground, knocking the Meta out as Barry sped back in and Vibe Breached in. 

“You can’t stop me. No one can,” Thawne sneered.

“We’ll see about that!” Barry snapped, rushing in.

For a few moments, the two speedsters sped around, exchanging blows while only appearing as two blurs to Frost and Vibe. Then, Thawne got a lucky shot in and Barry was sent flying across the street, hitting into the side of a building, hard. Before the others could do anything, Thawne sped over and grabbed Vibe, slamming him into a road sign. As Vibe fell to the ground, unconscious, Frost tried to hit Thawne with ice blasts but Thawne grabbed her by the throat and slammed her onto the ground. Frost’s beams died in her hands as she gasped for breath, her hair and eyes returning to their normal color.

“Don’t struggle; it will make this much harder. I may have lied about many things, but one thing I didn’t lie about? You are destined to be there, fighting alongside Barry and the others during the crisis. You keep Barry from disappearing and that, I cannot allow. You must die here Caitlin. I’m sorry.”

Barry recovered and saw what was happening. Filled with rage, Barry sped over, tackling Thawne away from Caitlin. Thawne was forced to release her and she let sweet air fill her lungs as Barry dealt with Thawne. 

“You’re not gonna kill her,” Barry snarled as he slammed Thawne into the side of a building. “You’re not gonna kill anyone ever again!”

“There’s only one way to stop me and you won’t do it,” Thawne mocked him. “You don’t have the will to do what’s necessary. And because of that, you will lose her. You will lose both of them.”

Thawne pushed back and, with a roar of rage, Barry sped towards him. Caitlin looked up as, in a blur of yellow and red, Barry and Thawne took off into the sky. 

It was a sight that Lisa and Allison, outside the Allen home, also saw.

At the West-Allen loft, Nora was also looking out the window and seeing this.

“Dad,” she breathed.

Barry and Thawne landed back on the ground and, in a blur of movement, Barry was behind Thawne, who was on his knees as Barry held him in a choke hold.

“You won’t do it Barry,” Thawne taunted against Barry’s grip. “You believe you’re above killing. You didn’t kill me before and you won’t kill me now. You will lose everything. Your family, your friends, the love of your life, your daughters. I will take them from you. I will take-”

With a roar of rage, Barry twisted and a sickening crack echoed throughout the area. Barry dropped the body to the floor as he stared at Thawne’s lifeless form, as if having trouble comprehending what he’d done just done. Caitlin got to her feet and walked over to him.

“I killed him,” Barry said, having trouble processing it. “I killed him.”

“Hey,” Caitlin knelt down in front of him, taking his face in her hands as she made him look at her. “You did what you had to do in order to protect us, to protect everyone. Thawne, he was never gonna stop. You had a choice between letting him go free, letting him kill our daughter, and stopping him, once and for all. You chose to protect our daughter, to protect Allison.”

Barry didn’t say anything, simply trying to absorb everything. Caitlin simply held him, not saying anything, just letting him know she was there as he came to terms with what he had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t consider myself a good writer of powered fight scenes, I’m much better at regular fight scenes. So I hope I did a good job. 
> 
> One more chapter to go.


	18. Erased

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Barry and Caitlin get to know Allison, the consequences of Nora's interference with time become clear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, originally, this was meant to be the last chapter. However, I ultimately decided to split this chapter into two. So, one more chapter after this.
> 
> Not sure I did too well here on the scenes between Barry and Caitlin and Allison, but I hope you enjoy it.

Central City, 2049  
Night

Cisco looked up as a car drove up and parked near the scene. Cisco nearly sagged in relief when Lisa and Allison got out.

“Oh thank god,” Cisco said, pulling Allison into a hug before pulling back to take a look at her. “You alright, did he hurt you?”

“Aside from a few bumps and bruises, I’m fine Uncle Cisco,” Allison assured him.

“More than fine, she has powers,” Lisa spoke up and Cisco started.

“Powers?” Cisco asked incredulously.

“I don’t know what happened. One minute, I’m watching Thawne about to kill Aunt Lisa, the next I’m shooting ice at him,” Allison said as she looked down at her hands. 

“I always suspected that you might have Caitlin’s powers,” Cisco shrugged at Allison’s look. “You’ve never shown any kind of Speed Force Energy in your system, which makes sense because speed and cold are opposites. I figured you just needed a little push to trigger you powers.”

“So what happened?” Lisa asked as Allison simply flashed one of her mother’s patented glares.

“I think Barry’s in shock,” Cisco said, looking over his shoulder and the two women followed his gaze.

Barry and Caitlin sat on the steps of the former precinct, Caitlin looking at Barry in concern. True to Cisco’s words, Barry seemed to be in a state of shock, unaware of anything around him.

“What happened?” Lisa asked softly.

“Barry killed Thawne,” Cisco said to the shock of Lisa and Allison. “Thawne was goading him, taunting him about how he was gonna take away everything Barry loved and I guess…Barry just snapped. Thawne’s neck, that is. Ralph and younger me went to get rid of the body.”

At that moment, Caitlin looked their way. Allison froze as her mother spotted her. For a moment, neither woman said anything, too scared to move. Barry finally seemed to come back to himself and saw what was going on.

“Go,” Barry said and Caitlin looked over at him. “Go talk to her. I can tell you want to.”

“Are you gonna be okay?” Caitlin asked, concerned despite her desire to talk to Allison.

“Yeah, I just need a minute,” Barry told her.

Caitlin stared at him, not sure she believed her as she was torn between her desire to make sure he was okay and her need to talk to Allison. However her need to talk to Allison won out as Caitlin got to her feet and began making her way over to Allison. Seeing this, Cisco and Lisa exchanged a glance.

“We’ll give you two a minute,” Lisa said as she and Cisco walked away before Allison could say a word.

“Hi,” Caitlin said awkwardly once she reached her daughter. “I’m-”

“I know who you are,” Allison cut her off in a gentle voice. “Uncle Cisco and Papa Joe would show me pictures of you and dad all the time.”

“Good, I’m glad,” Caitlin said, staring at Allison before she realized what she was doing. “I’m sorry if I’m staring. I just started to wrap my head around this and now-”

“And now I’m here,” Allison finished for her mother. “I know this must be a lot to take in.”

“It is,” Caitlin agreed. “But I want to get to know you. If that’s okay. I want to know my daughter.”

“I’d like that,” Allison said after a moment, flashing a small smile.

As he saw mother and daughter beginning to talk, Barry smiled slightly. Feeling someone sit down next to him, Barry looked over and saw it was Cisco.

“You okay?” Cisco asked and Barry was silent.

“I don’t know. My entire life, I was raised to believe murder was wrong. I know Thawne was a monster but…it’s gonna take me some time to come to terms with this,” Barry said.

“You did what you had to do. Nothing else,” Cisco said and Barry sighed.

“I know. Doesn’t make it any easier. You know the worst part? I don’t regret it, just that it had to be done,” Barry said tiredly and it was silent between them for a few moments.

“So…you gonna go over there?” Cisco asked, looking over at where Caitlin and Allison were talking.

“Not yet. Give them a moment,” Barry said, looking over with a smile.

“You know you can’t stay long,” Cisco pointed out.

“All the more reason to give Caitlin more time with her,” Barry said simply and Cisco just chuckled.

“I’ve missed you,” Cisco said with a wistful look on his face.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Barry said as he looked over at Cisco.

“Don’t be. Just…make sure this future never happens. Make sure we don’t lose her,” Cisco said softly as he looked over at Caitlin.

“If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure of it,” Barry vowed.

From a distance, Nora was watching this with mixed feelings. She wanted to go to her father, to explain, but she wasn’t sure she would be welcome. Feeling something strange in her hands, she looked down at her hands and saw that, to her shock, glowing white cracks seemed to be spreading down her arms.

“What’s happening?” Nora asked fearfully.

“Time is catching up with you.”

Nora turned and saw, to her shock, her name sake standing a few feet from her. However, Nora quickly realized it wasn’t Nora Allen.

“You’re the Speed Force,” Nora realized and it nodded.

“Time is catching up with you Nora. You’re being erased from existence,” the Speed Force said and Nora paled. “You’re actions have created a new timeline. In this new timeline, you will never be born.”

“I just wanted to save my dad,” Nora said as her hands disappeared and the cracks began speeding to other parts of her body.

“You abused your powers for selfish reasons. There is a price to pay for that; the universe must have balance,” the Speed Force told her emotionlessly.

Nora didn’t say anything more, tears streaming down her face as she disappeared. The Speed Force looked back at Barry once more before it turned, disappearing into a portal.

Barry looked back over at Caitlin and Allison before he finally got up. He made his way over to them and they stopped mid conversation once they realized he was approaching.

“Finally decided I’d had enough alone time with Allison?” Caitlin ginned at the look on Barry’s face. “It was kind of obvious.”

“You deserved to spend some time with her by yourself,” Barry said before he turned to Allison. 

“Hi dad,” Allison said softly, not sure what else to say.

“Hey,” Barry said in the same tone, suddenly overwhelmed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’ve imagined this moment for so long…now I don’t know what to say,” Allison admitted as she looked back and forth between her parents.

“No one ever does,” Barry said with a slight grin before frowning. “You know we can’t stay long.”

“I know. You have to go back to your own time,” Allison said with a hint of sadness. “I wish you could stay though.”

“So do we,” Caitlin said, taking her hand with a sad smile.

“But even if we can’t be there with you, we will always love you,” Barry told her.

Allison smiled tearfully when Barry’s Comms went off.

“Barry, you there? Barry?!” Barry and Caitlin were alarmed by the panicked note in Vibe’s voice. 

“Cisco, what’s going on?” Barry asked as he tapped the Coms.

“What’s going on? Look around you!”

Barry, Caitlin, and Allison did so and they stared in shock. The buildings around them had glowing white cracking spreading through them.

“What is happening?” Allison breathed.

“This timeline is being erased,” Barry realized with a start. “Nora’s actions in the past have created a new timeline, one where this version of Central City will never exist. Cisco, you and Ralph get to the Time Sphere, now!”

“You two need to go, don’t you?” Allison said sadly.

“We have to,” Barry said regretfully.

“I understand. Go,” Allison said with a sad smile.

“Allison,” Caitlin said as she took her daughter’s hand. “I’m not sure if we’ll ever see each other again. But, I want you to know, after seeing you; talking with you…I would have died willingly if it meant knowing you would be born.”

Tearfully, Allison pulled her mother into a tight hug.

“I love you mom,” Allison whispered.

“I love you to,” Caitlin said emotionally before she pulled back.

“Dad,” Allison said as she turned to Barry.

“I wish we had more time. But all I can say is, from the moment Cecile handed me that picture of you, I loved you. Before I knew you, I loved you. And I will always love you,” Barry told her his voice thick with emotion.

“Go. Run dad, run,” Allison said with a tearful smile as tears rushed down her checks.

Barry lingered for only one more moment, taking Allison in before he grabbed Caitlin and ran. Her heard against Barry’s shoulder, Caitlin watched Allison until she could no longer see her, closing her eyes as a portal opened and Barry ran through it.


	19. A new future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Barry and Caitlin come to terms with the fact that Allison has been erased, Cisco comes into contact with a familiar face. Team Flash realizes that the future isn't set in stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, the final chapter. I would just like to thank you all for your support. This basically just started out as idea that came to me, I had no idea you guys would enjoy it so much or that I would enjoy writing it so much. Thank you all for your support.

Star Labs, 2019  
Afternoon 

Barry walked into the cortex, seeing Cisco, Ralph, Sherloque, Joe, and Cecile waiting for him with solemn looks on their faces. Iris was noticeably absent, for which Barry was grateful. He didn’t have the energy to deal with her right now.

“How’s Caitlin?” Cisco asked, noticing that she wasn’t with Barry.

“She…wanted to be alone,” Barry said wearily.

“It’s understandable,” Joe said as he walked over, putting a hand on Barry’s shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

“Honestly, I can’t tell you. I knew her for less than a minute and yet…I feel like Thawne shredded my heart to pieces,” Barry sighed.

“We don’t have to look at this as a worst case scenario,” Cisco pointed out and they looked over at him. “We can still have all the good things of that future while making sure the bad don’t happen.”

“You have a Vibe?” Ralph asked and Cisco shook his head. 

“No, more like a good feeling. If this whole thing has taught us anything, it’s that the future isn’t set in stone. We can make our own future, right here, right now,” Cisco said passionately.

“Like you marrying Lisa Snart?” Barry cracked and Cisco grimaced. 

“Yeah, still trying to wrap my head around that,” Cisco muttered.

“It’s been quite a journey, but I feel it’s time for me to take my leave,” Sherloque said holding out his hand to Barry. “It’s been an honor, Flash.”

“We never could have solved this mystery without you,” Barry said buy Sherloque smiled. 

“Don’t be so sure. You already have a master detective in your midst,” Sherloque said as he turned to Ralph before dropping Barry’s hand. “Mr. Ramon, if you will.”

Cisco opened a Breach up as Sherloque walked up to it.

“Farwell, Team Flash,” Sherloque tipped his hat at them before walking through it.

Bar  
Late afternoon

“Well, we stopped Thawne and Cicada,” Ralph said as he and Cisco sat at a table. “Should feel like a win.”

“But it doesn’t,” Cisco agreed. “In a way, we still lost. Especially Barry and Cait.”

For a moment, it was silent between them before Cisco stood up.

“Well, I’m gonna go grab another drink. You want anything?” Cisco asked.

Ralph shook his head and Cisco walked over to the bar.

“Scotch, neat,” Cisco said once he got to the bar.

“Celebrating something?” the dark haired woman asked, her back to him as she started making his drink.

“More like drowning my sorrows,” Cisco said as she turned around to face him.

“Well, why don’t you tell me all about it,” Lisa said and Cisco nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Lisa? What are you doing here?” Cisco demanded, worried this was some kind of job.

“Relax, I don’t do that anymore,” Lisa rolled her eyes as she saw where his mind was headed. “Not since Lenny…”

“Oh,” Cisco said awkwardly. “So…what are you doing here?”

“Like I said, gone straight. Just got back into town, my first day on the job,” Lisa said, putting his drink in front of him. “Here. On the house.”

“Thanks,” Cisco said awkwardly, picking it up.

“Consider it an apology for, well, everything. Besides, you look like you could use it,” Lisa said.

Cisco could only nod, walking back over to where Ralph sat.

“You okay?” Ralph asked, seeing Cisco glance back at the bar.

“Not sure,” Cisco said as he picked up his scotch and took a drink, his eyes not leaving Lisa.

Star Labs  
Same time

Barry was in the cortex, staring a picture of Nora on the computer. With a sigh, he deleted it as Iris walked in.

“Hey,” she said and Barry tensed. “I heard what happened.”

“What do you want Iris?” Barry asked gruffly.

“I just wanted to see if you were okay,” Iris said gently.

“You mean you wanted to see if I would feel differently now that my daughter has been possibly erased from existence,” Barry said coolly and Iris didn’t deny it. “God, do you ever think about anyone but yourself? I don’t feel any differently Iris. If anything, after seeing her, I feel even stronger in my decision.”

“Do you love her? Not Allison, Caitlin?” Iris asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer but knowing she needed to.

“Honestly?” Barry asked as he turned around to face her and she nodded. “I think I’ve loved her for a long time, but I couldn’t see passed the idea of you to admit it to myself.”

“It’s really over, isn’t it?” Iris said softly and Barry nodded.

“I don’t think you should come around here for a while. I need some space from you,” Barry said quietly. 

“But I’m part of the team,” Iris said feebly. 

“Only because I’ve let you be. I let my emotions blind me and look what it cost me in the future. I won’t make the same mistakes. I’d say sorry but…I don’t want the last thing I say to you for a while to be a lie,” Barry said gently before he walked passed her.

Barry made his way into the Speed Lab, stopping as he saw Caitlin sitting down on the steps of the treadmill. Barry walked over and sat down next to her, simply sitting with her for a moment. 

“Thank you, for giving me some space,” Caitlin said as she looked up at him. “And for making the others give me some space.”

“Sometimes you need to deal with things alone. But I’m here, if you need to talk,” Barry said gently.

“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?” Caitlin said softly. “She was…”

“Everything you imagined and more,” Barry finished and Caitlin nodded slightly. 

“I barely got any time with her, but I already love her more than I have ever loved anything. And now she’s gone,” Caitlin said brokenly.

“We don’t know that,” Barry said and she looked up at him curiously. “Cisco brought up a good point earlier. We can still have all the good things about that future without the bad. The future, it’s what we make of it, not what someone’s written down in a book.”

“So…are you saying you wanna have kids with me?” Caitlin raised an eyebrow and Barry flushed.

“I’m saying that that version of Allison is gone. She may not be. I don’t know what the future holds for us Cait. I just know that I love you,” Barry said and Caitlin stiffened. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realize it. I said once that I wasn’t the best version of me without my speed. The truth is…I’m not the best version of me without you.”

For a moment, they simply looked at each other. Then, Caitlin put her hands on either side of his face and leaned in. They closed their eyes as their lips met in a kiss that was everything they had ever imagined and more.

“I love you to,” Caitlin said once they had pulled back for air.

In the time vault, the article suddenly appeared before it was replaced by a much different article. This one was written by Julie Greer instead of Iris West-Allen. And rather than just the Flash on the cover, there a picture of the Flash, Killer Frost, Green Arrow, and Supergirl standing shoulder to shoulder under the headline ‘Flash and friends save Central City in Crisis.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so we’re clear, the final scene with the article changing is not set up for a sequel, it’s just to show that the future has changed.
> 
> And also, so I don’t leave any loose ends, Allison will still be born. I had a scene in mind where Cisco Vibes Caitlin giving birth with Barry there, but I ended up deciding not to simply because it didn’t mesh for the ‘make our own future’ theme of the chapter.


End file.
